Ceylon, A General Description of The Island and Its Inhabitants, With An Historical Sketch of The Conquest of The Colony by The English

CEYLON:
A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND

AND ITS INHABITANTS;
WITR
AN HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE
CONQUEST OF THE COLONY BY THE ENGLISH.
BY HENRY MARSHALL, F.R.S.E.,

l>EP11'1Tllf9P&CTOR-OIIRIUL 01' AIDfT B08PIT,ll.S.
Author ol Noteo on the Kedlcal Topography of the Interior of Ceylon," .to~

and "The Hllltary Hl8cellany."
LONDON:
WILLIAM H. ALLEN AND CO.,
LEADENHALL STREET.
M. DCCC,Xl,VJ.
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"TH. EDINBURGH PRINTING COMPANY,
U, Soutb St David Street.
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PRE.FACE.
IN the compilation of the following pages, the writer

has been much assisted by his friend, S1x0N SAWERB,
Esq., whose long residence in Ceylon, and extensive
intercourse with the indigenous inhabitants, render any
infotmation communicated by him peculiarly valu-
able. Mr Sawers went to Ceylon as a " civil servant"
in 1805 ; and in 1815, when the Kandyan conquest
took place, was appointed to the highly re,ponsible
office of commissioner of Revenue of the newly ac-
quired pr.vinces, with a seat at the Council Board of
the Resident in Kandy. After tlie lapse of a few years,
he succeeded to the appointment of Judicial Commis-
sioner, which he continued to fill until 1827, when he
returned to this country. The writer went to Ceylon
in 1808, as Assistant-Surgeon in the 89th Regiment : he
belonged to the first division of the army which was
assembled for the invasion of the kingdom of Kandy in
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\'l PREFACE,
December 1814; and, from 1816 till 1821, was the

senior Medical Officer in the Kandyan provinces, being
then Staff-Surgeon, With respect to the final conquest
of the colony, the object of the Author has been chiefly
to narrate facts and to record events, not to discuss the
policy of the measure, or the merits of the means em-
ployed to that effect.
25, ALv.a. Srusr, }

EDISBURGU, Octobu 1846.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
GIL"iER.. DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND, A.."iD AN ACCOUNT OF

ITS INHABITA..~8.
PA<n
Situation, Extent, and Physical .Aspect, 1
Climate, Rivers, Roads, 3
Soil, Agriculture, 5
Vegetable P.roductions, 7
Animals, l2
Inhabitant&, 16 .
Dwellings, 25
Population, Arts and Manufactures, Commerce, 26
Military Defence, 31
Kandyan Government, 33
Judicial Department, Crimea and Punishments, 38
Degree of unhealthiness to European Troops, 41
CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.
PART II.
HISTORICAL SUTCH, ETC,
l'ORTUGUBSB PBRIOD,
A..D. PAGB
1 !>06. Ceylon discovered by the Portuguese, 4a

la l 7. They establish a settlement at Colombo, ib.
1!>90. War between the Portuguese and the King of Kandy, 46
1602. Spilbergen, a Dutch Admiral, arri'fes at Batticallo, 48
1630. A Portuguese army completely routed by the king's
troop&-the General killed, al
1 634. The Portuguese again defeated, 52
1637. The king negotiates a treaty with the Dutch, 5a
1639. The Forts of Batticallo and Trincomalee taken by a
Dutch force, ib.
1640. Colombo and the other forts also fall into their hands, !>6
16!>8. Obse"1otions on the policy of the Portuguese, ,. 58
Note respecting Robert Knox, ib.
X CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.
DUTCH PBRIOD,
A, D, PAOB
176:t. Hostilities between the Kandyans and the Dntch, 60

An ambassador (Mr Pybns) arrives at Kandy from
Madras, 62
1782. Hostilities between Holland and England, 63
Trincomalee taken by the English ; Mr Boyd arrives
at Kandy as ambU8ador from Madras. ib.
Has an audience of the king. 64
Trincomalee is taken by a French force, . 65
I i92. Hostilities threatened between the Dnt.ch and the
Kandyan government, 66
I i94. Batavian Repnhlic established in Enrope; war with
England, ,. 6i
1795. The forts at Trincomalee taken by a British force, 68
l 796. The maritime provinces fall into the hands of the
English, 69
ltNGLI8B PEIUOD,
1797. Government attempts to tax &nit-trees; an insurrec-

tion follows, 7l
I i98. The Honourable Frederick North is appointed gover-
nor of the maritime provinces, . ib.
The King of Kandy dies; a successor is elected, 72
1799. Bil Excellency Mr North has several interviews with
Pilimi Talawa, the first adikar, 73
l SOO. Mr Boyd has also numerous eonferences with him, . ib.
CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX xi
.A.D. P.AOt:
1800. 12th March, General M.acdowal proceecb on an em-

busy &o the King of Kandy, which f'aill, 81
1802. 3d February, an embassy from the king arrh-es at
Colombo, 8:1
A number of Pnt1am mercllante plundered in the
Kandyan coun&ry, 8'
1803. Hol&ilitiE111 with Kandy commence, 85
Ill& l!'ebraary, the &own of Kandy i, occupied by the
Engliahnoope, 86
lloo&oo Sawmy i1 cro,rned king by the English, 87
He negotiatee a conTeD.tion 'l!'ith ICr North, ib.
An expedi&ion. &o Hanp.rankeUy i, undertaken, SS
29th March, General Mudowal negotia&el a treaty
between the Bridah government, King . .Moo&oo
S.wmy, and Pilimi Tala1n1, 89
lit April, General M.acdowal leaYee Kandy fur Co-
lombo, taking with hllJ! the chief~ of the troope, ib.
15lh April, Captain Madge garri,ona Fort .Macdowal, 92
3d May, Mr North hu an in&eniew with the first
, adikar at Dambadiniya; ireaty confirmed, ib.
21st May, Colonel Barbut dies; Major Dane becomes
commandant of Kandy, 93
23d .May, General .Macdowal rel'isi.tl Kandy, . ib.
11th June, the General returna &o Colombo, 9
13th June, Major Davie receives a let&er from the
fint adikar; pays no attention &o i&, ib.
20th June, dEJllertiona are frequent among the noope, 95
23d June, the truce ii broken by the Kandyau, who
take Galgederah and Giriagam.me, 96
Uth June, Kandy 'ii attacked by the Kandyana, and
taken, ib.
26th June, melancholy fa&e of the Garrison, 100
27~ June, Corporal Barnsley reaches Fort .Macdowal,
Captain Madge retreats &o Trincomalee, I o
Notice respecting Major Dane, (note,) 109
XII CHRONOLOGICil INDEX.
A.D. PAGB
1803. Monality among the European troops employed in

the war; cmel treatmentof prisoners, ll o
Difficaltiea aitending Major Davie's command, 115
Mr Creevy's speech, House of Commons, (note,) ib.
The Kandyans invade the maritime provinces, . 120
The English pillage the province of Saft'ragam, and
other districts, ib.
1804. A reinforcement of troops arrives, and a general inva-
sion of the Kandyan country is contemplated, 122
20th September, Captain Johnston marches from.Bat-
ucallo for the Kandyan territory, 123
6th October, he reaches Kandy ; disappointed, ib.
9th October, marches tor Trincomalee ; account of
the hardships he underwent, ib.
20th October, -he reaches Trincomalee ; notice respect-
ing Captain Johnston and Lieutenant Virgo, (note,) 130
1805. Hostilities in the maritim~ provinces renewed, . 131
Cessation of hostilities, . 132
19th July, Sir Thomas Maitland aasumes, the govern-
ment of the maritime provinces, ib.
I 811. 19th March, General Wilaon succeeds General Mait-
land, ib.
Intestine discord in the kingdom of Kandy, . 133
1812. Pilimi Talawa is executed; Eheylapola is appointed
first adikar, 134
11 th March, General Brownrigg aasumes the govern-
ment of the maritime provinces, ib.
I 813, Intestine disturbances in Kandy, 135
1814. Eheylapola raises the standard of revolt, ib.
Molligodda appointed first adikat, . ib.
Eheylapola takes refuge in ihe maritime provinces, 136
Se,eral alleged traitors and their reLltions are exe-
cuted in Kandy, ib.
Eheylapola received with great respect by General
Brownrigg at Colombo, . 140
CJIRONOLC;>GICAL INDEX. xiii
PA&B
1814. Ten cloth-mereban&s mutilated by order of the king.

in Kandy, 141
Active preparations for war by General Brownrigg, 143
9th December, the first division of the army marches
for Hangwelle, ib.
Army intended for the invasion of Kandy, 144
1815. -IOth Jannary, a few adheren&s of Eheylapola, in the
district _of the Three Corlee, are chased &el'0811 the
boundary river by a Royalist party ; a hut burned, l 4 5
11 th J auuary, Major Hook crossea the boundary river,
and disperses a body of Kandyans at Ruangwelle, 146
12th Jaquary,. General Brownrigg joins the first
division, ib.
13th January, be issues a proclamation; returns to
Colombo, . ib.
Molligodda, disguised, bas an interview with Major
Hook, 150
A party of Royalists are smprised, 152
3d Febmauy, Major Hoot carries the for&s of Gaige
derah and Giriagamme, 153
The advance of the second division reaches Anruna-
pura, 154
6th February, General Brownrigg joine the second
diviaion at Ganaitenne, ib.
8th Febrnary, Molligodda makes hie ..JUbmia!lion to
Mr D'Oyley, ib.
The first and second divisions OffUPY the town of
Kandy ; Thoen, a prisoner, appears, I 55
18th February,.the king is made prisoner, 157
2d March, a conference or conv~ntion is held at Kandy;
account of Millawa, (note,, 159
Notice of the deposed king, 166
Administl'lltion of the Kandyan provinces, 173
The .English are hate~ by the Kandyan,, 174
Dr Davy's observations on the 11\lbject; eauses of
their dislike to the English, 17 7
CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.
A, D, PAOB
181 ; 5th .Aogaat, Sir Boben and L.cly Brownrigir leave
Colombo for Kandy. 26th September, they pro .
~ to Trincomalee, 180
10th October, a revolt breaks out in &be province of
Velaasy, and a pretender to the throne ia put for-
ward, 182
16th October, Mr Wilson, the governmen, agent at
Badulll', is killed by the native,, 1 S3
Mr Sawen, the commillioner of reTenue, proceeds to
Badulll', 18 l
Eheylapola aaamee an anomalous position, ih.
K.appitapola joinl the i-rgeota, 186
Troops proceed to Velaasy ; the property of the in-
habitants is pillaged or destroyed ; martial law is
proclaimed, 188
la what manner hostilitiea are conduc&ed, 189
1818. Ebeylnpola ia arrested and confined on 1111picion of
favouring the insurgents, . 190
Lady Brownrigg leaves Kandy, . 191
Major Macdonald is attacked by the K.andyana ; Major
Delatre meets with greai resistance on bis march
fr.om Trincomalee to the interior ; Captain Raper
marches from .Ait.galle to Nalende, 193
.A reward of l OOO pagoda is offered for the appre-
beuion of Kappitapola, and each of two other ehil'fs, 19 5
. Disse111ions occur amonl( the insurgents, I '.16
2itb October, Ellepola ii executed, l 9i
J.:ctnelligodda and hia hosi proceed to Uwa ; song of
triumph, (note,) 19S
Kappitapoll', ,.Pilimi Talawa, and Madugalla, are
made prisoners, 199
25th November, Kappitapola and Madugalla arc
behead~ ib.
Ho,tilitiea, how conduc~ . 200
.llardahip, and privmou tile trQopa a ~ t , . ~o;

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. XV
Jt.D. PACH
J 818. Monality oC the European &roopl ; relec&iou o

war, 210
A new conmmuon ii promu]p&ed, 2111
J8ltO. Another aapirant for the throne raiNa hie standard in
Bintenna, 2t8
Trial and acquittal oC a number of alleged vaitora ;
extracts from a drat\ of a memorial from some of
the inhabitanta; accoant or Loco Banda, (note,)
concluding oheervationa, . 2 l !>
APPENDIX.
I. Visit to Adam's Peak, (April 18191) 231
ll. Articles of ConveDtion entered into between hie lligh.

neu Prince Mootoo Sawmy, on the one part, and his
Eltcellency Frederick North, Governor, Captain
General, and Commander-in-Chief in and onr the
British Settlements on the Island of Ceylon, on the
other part, for the attainment of the just objects of
the present. war, the speedy re&t.oration of peace, and
the general security and happiness of the inhabitants
of the island, (March 1803,) . 240
111. A Convention entered into between the British govern-
ment of Ceylon, and his Majesty King Mootoo Sawmy,
the illnstriou, Lord Pilimi Talawa. first adikar of the
Court of Kandy, the second adikar, and the other
nobles of the Court, (March 1803,) . 243
tv. 1st, Oorporal Barnsley's deposition, made at Fort Mac-
dowal, June 2i, 1803, before Captain Madge ancJ
0
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xvi APPENtnx.
PAGg
Captain Pierce, of the 19th Regiment, and Assistant-

Surgeon Gillespie, of the Malay Regiment, 245
2d, Corporal Barnsley's Narrative of the Capture of
Kandy, . ~47
V. Copies of two letters addressed to Captain Johnston
by the Acting Adjutant-General, by order of General
Wemyss, (September 1804,) . 254
VI. Bombradier Alexander's account ofCapt.ain Johnston's
hostile expedition to Kandy in 18041 256
VII. Proclamation by his Excellency Lieutenant-General

Robert Brownrigg, Governor, and Commander-in-Chief
in and over the British Settlements and Territorie8
in the Island of Ceylon, with the dependencies thereof,
(10th January 1815 1 ) 266
VIII. Official declaration of the settlement of the Kaudyan

provinces, (2d March 1815,) 270
IX. Convention held between his Excellency Lieutenant-
General Sir Robert Brownrigg, &c., &c., and the adi-
kars, dissaves, &c., &c., &c., (2d March 1815,) 273
X. Notice respectingKappitapola and Madngalla, 277
NOTES AND ADDITIONS, 285
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CEYLON.
GENERAL DUOBU'TION OJI' 'fflE ISJ.AND1 AND AN ACOOt.'NT OF

1TII INBABITANTS.
Situation, Extent, Playrieal ~ - The lsLAND OF

CEYLON lies between 5 54' and 950' N. Iat., and 79
50' and 82 10' E. long. Its greatest length is varioosly
stated at from 270 to 280 miles from north to south :
its greatest breadth, from east to west, is about 140;
the superficial area being, according to Dr Davy, 20,770
square miles; but, according to Simon Casie Chitty,
it is computed at 24,664 square miles. By measurement,
the circuit of the island was fou.nd to be 763 miles, 4
furlongs, and 88 yards.
Vide Tire Ceyl,en Gazetteer.-The Secretary of State for the

Colonies awarded to S"1D1on Casie Chitty, Esq., the sum of one
hundred guineas as an acknowledgment of his literary exertions
in the compilation of the Ceylon Gazetteer.
A
1
! EXTENT AND
,The rising and setting of the sun varies little more

than nine or ten minutes throughout the year ;-sunrise
being a little before six in the morning, and sunset a
few minutes after six in the evening. Except by change
of wind, the difference of a few degrees of temperature,
and the transitions from dry weather to rainy, and 11ice
11er1a, a perennial summer prevails : a succession of
~easons, such as winter and summer, with which the
year is varied in the temperate zones, is completely
unknown.
The kingdom of Kandy, which was annexed to the
maritime territory in 1815, is situated in the centre of
the island ; the area of the conquered district is stated
by Dr Davy to be 12,360 square miles ; bnt, according
to Simon Casie Chitty, the computed area is 14, 144
square miles, and that of the maritime provinces 10,520.
The newly acquired territory is consequently much more
extensive than the latter. The territory of the kingdom
of Kandy comprehended, as has been observed, the
middle, or mountainous part of the island, together with
a large portion of the flat country ; the circumjaeent,
or maritime belt of territory, varying in width from 8
to 30 miles, and, at the northern extremity, amounting
to nearly 80 miles, belonged successively to the govern-
ments of Portugal, Holland, and England. The upper,
or hilly country, may be estimated at about one-sennth
or one-eighth of the area of the whole island, or 3000
square miles : the elevation of the mountainous district
above the level of the sea varies from 800 to 4000 or
5000 feet ; the average height being about 2000. There
are, however, several mountains in thq Kandyan country
from 7000 to 8000 feet high.
PHYSICAL ASPECT. 3
BBlQB'fl 01' IOIOI 01' ms PBmCJPJ.J. KOUBTAIIJS, &,c, DI C&Yr.o.
L. by lev,lling; A by Geoduic operationa.

Feet.
PedroTallagalla, 8280A
Kinigal Pott&, 7810A
Tolapella, 7720 A
Adam's Peak, 1,20 A
Nammoonnakooll~ 6740A
Plain of N uwera Elia, &210A
Upper Lake in Kandy, 1678 L
The prevailing rocks are granite and gneiss, 4uartz,

dolomite, hornblende, and primitive greenstone. Dole
mit.e ia found. onlJ in.tJae interior; and is ased for making
lime.
Olcmat6.-The climate of Ceylon is considerably influ-
enced by both the south-west and thenorth-east monsoons.
The term, monsoon, is a corruption of the word mooseem;
which, in the Malay language, signifies a year or sea- .
son. The north-east monsoon prevails in Ceylon from
November till February, and the south-west from April,
or the beginning of May, till September. Heavy rains,
strong wind, and much thWfder and lightning, accom-
pany the setting in of each monsoon. From 80 to l 00
inches of rain fall annually ; and, during the monsoon
rains, the maritime districts are sometimes extensively
inundated, and, consequently, part of the lowest levels
is impassable. At Colombo, on the western coast, the
mean temperature ia about 800 or 81; the mean daily
variation being about 3, and the annual range of the
thermometer from 76 to 87. The mean annual tem-
perature at Kandy, which is nearly 17o6 feet above
the level of the sea, is about 73 0 , and the a.nnual range
from 66 to 8i0 At Trincomalee, the mean temperature
"' Vidil Appendix J.
CLll[ATE, RIVERS, ROADS,
isabout 8H 0 ; the annual range being Crom 72 to 95.

The mean temperature at Trincomalee is, perhaps, u
high as any Qther place in the world where an account
.of the temperature of the atmosphere has been kept.
Ri"er,. -The principal ri't'ers are the Maha Villa
Ganga, (supposed to be the Ganges of Ptolemy,) the
Kalani Ganga, the Kalu Ganga, and the Walawe Ganga,
all of which rise in the central mountainous mass. The
Maha Villa Ganga arises, in part, Crom the base of
Adam's Peak ; it then passes northward, aad, after
nearly encircling the town of Kandy, it descends to the
le't'el country, on the eastern side of the island, and falls
into t.he sea not far Crom Trincomalee. The whole
rourse of this river is nearly 200 miles ; but, except for
con't'eying rafts of timber, it is not. favourable for trade.
The Kalani Ganga runs a western course for about 35
miles, when it reaches Ruanwelle; and thence to the
sea in the neighbourhood of Colombo. It is navigable
for boats of considerable burden for some distance above
Ruanwelle. The Kalu Ganga taJces a westerly direction,
and enters the sea at Caltura. It is navigable as far as
Ratnapoora. The Walawe Ganga has a south-east direc-
tion to the sea, near to Hambantotte.
Road,,-The roads in the inland and upper country
were, during the native government, chiefly narrow
paths, by which men on foot might pass singly, climbing
over the rocks, and penetrating through the thickets in
the best way they could. Bullocks, the common beast
of burden, even with a light load, were with great diffi-
culty able to get over the precipitous parts of some of
the passes. There being little or no trade in the country,
roads for wheel-carriages were not required ; indeed,
making roads was discouraged by government.
Soil, Agriculture, ctc.-The natural soils seldom con
.
SOIL, AGRICULTURE. 5
tain more than three per cent. ofvegetable matter. Qnart-

zose gravel or sand, and feldspathic clay, mixed with a
reddish loam resulting from the decomposition of clay-
ironstone, commonly called Cabook, the laterite of mi-
neralogists, generally compose the soil of Ceylon.
The line of coast from Negombo on the west, to Ten-
gal on the south-east side of the island, is particularly
favourable to the growth of the coco-nut tree. Cinna-
mon is chiefly confined to this district, on the coast and
the hills of the interior. Colfee thrives well on the high
lands of the upper country. As this plant is designated
by the name of kopi by the Singalese, a word obviously
synonymous with the Arabic termcojee, it maybe inferred
that it was introduced into Ceylon by the Arabs. The
soil round Jafthapatam and in the province of Uwa is
favourable for the production of tob~co. In Jatfna, rice
and tobacco are much cultivated. This is likewise a
good sheep country. T.he Palmyra palm abounds in the
northern part of the island.
The ancient inhabitants have left eYident marks that
they devoted much labour to the execution of works for
the collection. and distribution. of water for flooding rice
fi.elds. Many of these reservoirs have gone out of repair,
and the grounds which used to be watered from them
are uncultivated. The only artificial lakes or tanks
which are now in tolerable repair are Kandally and
Minery, the former being about sixteen miles, and the
latter fifty-six, from Trincomalee, on the road to Kandy.
These surprising works argue a very numerous popula-
tion, with a strong government, possessing the power of
1
putting it into useful action. .
The principal grains cultivated for the sustenance of
the inhabitants are paddy, (rice in the husk,) and nat.
cheny, (cynoaurua corTocanw.) The raising of paddy
6 AGBICULTURE.
requires low or .at leaat flat grounds, and an abundant

supply of water, consequently, this crop is liable to
frequent failure in dry seasons. T.bere are senral nrie-
ties of rice, some of which grow OD high grounds withoat
being flooded, but the produce is comparatively seanty.
In the cultivation of rice, the labourers are greatly
exposed to the heat of a tropical sun, the calture of
this grain requiring a labourer to wade much in mud
and water. Rice fields have an embankment round
them, and after tlie grain is sown or put into the ground,
the fields are covered with water several inches deep, the
depth being increased as the grain shoots up, until a
short time before the crop is fit for cutting.
The plough and a large hoe ( Marmoootie ) are the
principal agricultural instl'UDlents used. The plough is
drawn by buff'aloes, which are yoked by a simple wooden
collar. The butfalo is guided by a cord attached to the
nose. The grain is cut with a sickle resembling our
reaping hook, the edge being Dotehed like a saw. A
floor is made in .a corner of a field, upon which the grain
is spread, and the rice is trodden out by means of buf-
faloes. The grain, or paddy, is stored in mud-walled
barns, which are raised on stone pedestall', like our com-
staeks. The inhabitants use a stone hand-mill, which
is exactly the same size and form as the queme formerly
used in Scotland. Much care is taken to frighten off
the elephanta. who are very partial to the young grain ;
and, for this purpose, a platform is constructed on a tree
in the corner of each field, and when an elephant ap-
a
proaches, the watchman fires muaket, or throw burn-
ing brands at him. .
To enable the cultivators to take advantage of the
Earth-cutter.
VEGETABLB PBODUCTJON8. 7
water ,rhich deteends from the tcips of hills, they cut

the aides of the hills into terraces, which are sometimet
llOt more than a yard wide. The water ia then conducted
in spoata of hollow coco-nut tree into the first line of
terraces, from which it puaea through openings in the
bank to the one beneath, and 10 on until it reaches the
valley, Yb.ere it 6>nns a small riruet.
Bice is imported in great quantities from the penin-
aula of India, the am.omit of paddy rai&ed in the ialand
not being adequate for the sustenance of the inhabitants.
V,g,tabZ. Productiou.-Cfyloo. contains the common
vegetable productions of tropical climates, and some
which are more or leas peculiar. Cal&mander, aatin,
ebony, sapan, iron, jack, halmaJille. and other beautiful
woods for cabinet work, are to be found in abundance.
The coco-nut tree is perhaps the moat important to the
inhabitants, as it contributes largely to their sustenance
at all time,, but more especially in dry aeasons when the
grain crops fail. Its products form alao important articles
of export. In 1813, it wu estimated that between Don-
dra-head and Calpentyn there were ten million of coco-
nut trees. The importance of this tree to the inhabit.
ants may be guessed by the revenue returned by it,
amounting, in 1832, to L.35,775.
The Palmyra palm abounds in the neighbourhood of
Jaft'na. It yields toddy from which arrack is distilled,
,md the wood is valuable for roofing.
The Ceylon areca-nut is celebrated for its superior
qualitiea, and is exported in great quantitiee.
Coffee was formerly propagated chiefly by means of
birds and jackala, who eat the fruit ; but since about
1820, and more particularly since 1886, it has been ex-
tensively cultivated, especially in the Kandyan provinces,
and the quality is now cODSidered very good. Formerly,
8 V'RGETABLE PRODUCTIONS.
when it was in a great measure deemed commQn pro-

pertJ, the produce did not possess a high character, being
MIO often pulled before the fruit was sufficiently ripe.
The preparation or drying of the berry is also much im
proved. Before the cnltivation of the plant had engaged
the attention, energy, and capital of Europeans, the
native collectors of coffee were accused of injuring the
fruit by dipping it into boiling water before it was per-
fectly dry, probably for the purpose of causing the kernels
to swell to a larger size.
The waste lands belonging to the crown in the island
are interspersed with villages, fields, and other property
belonging to the native population. The localities suited
for coffee cnltivation, to which a great part of the waste
lands sold have been applied, are, therefore, much
scattered. Vegetation is so rapid, that the boundaries
cut through the forest for the survey, previous to sale,
speedily disappear, and many proprietors, even of culti-
vated estates, cannot discover their own limits. A
gl'eat proportion of the natives hold their lands either
without any title at all, or with one to which no surveJ
is attached. Provision for more easily ascertaining the
boundaries of estates has lately been made by the Go-
vernor of Ceylon. According to instructions received
from home, the governor is not to oft'er land for sale at
less than one pound per acre.
Ceylon bas been long ,mppesed to produce the finest
cinnamon in the world. Crows and wood-pigeons devour
the berries with great avidity, by which means the plant
is widely disseminated, even where no means are taken
to cultivate it. The kings of Kandy possessed a mono-
poly of the cinnamon and other valuable productions of
their territories, and the Portuguese and Dutch were not
less rigorous in engroesing the cinnamon which grew in the
VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 9
maritime proTinces. The Dutch enforced the thraldom

of the Chaliahs, or cinnamon peelers, with extreme strict-
ness. Severe penalties were inflicted upon any one who
cut cinnamon shoots, and those persons who unlawfully
peeled the shoots, or extracted oil from the bark or.the
leaves, or camphor f1om the roots, were liable to the
puniBhment of _death, or banishment to the Cape of
Good Hope for a term of twenty-five years. The Dutch
laws continued in force under the EngliBh until 1832.
For a long time the principal part of the cinnamon crop
On more than one occasion the Chaliahs evinced an ardent
desire t.o emancipate \heJDBelves from the severe exactions of their
despotic rulers. In 1723 they refused to comply with the orders
of Government to proceed to the woods to prepare cinnamon as
usual, assigning the degraded state of the caste, and the number
of civil disabilities they laboured under, as an adequate reason for
their non-compliance. They complained that the task they were
ordered to perform was beyond their power to execute, in con-
sequence of the scarcity of cinnamon trees, and that the quantity
of the bark they were called upon annually w prepare would re-
quire the incessant labour of from twelve to thirteen montl\s, by
which means they were obliged to live in the woods "like wild
beasts, without being able to visit their families, or to contribute
tot.he support of their wives and children.'' In conseqnence of
the oppression to which they were exposed, the Chaliahs, at this
time, requested permission to leave the maritime provinces, and to
put themselves under the protection of the king of Kandy, or to
emigrate from the island. In 1735, a large body of the Chaliahs
left the maritime provinces, and established themselves in the
Kandyan conntry, in two villages of the Seven Corles. A commis-
sioner was appointed by the Dutch to hear their complaints, bot
they refused to give him an audience. Their reply to communi
cations from the colonial government was coucned in very strong
language ; they stated that they would not return to t.he maritime
prcwinces, and submit to the slavery to which they had been ex-
posed, "even though the governor should destroy their property,
bum their wives and children, and pre~ent them with the ashes."
The number of l!haliabs who emigrated to the Kandyan country
was estimated at upwards of 1000: This is a striking proof that
the tyranny of a people calling theJDBelves Christians, may be',in-
finitely more oppressive than that of ~ oriental despot, who iP a
,~ger to Lhe reinement of civilisation.
.a.2
10 VEGETABLE PRODUC'fIONS.
was collected in the forests and jungles ill the territory

of the king of Kandy, who was not always sufficiently
well-disposed towards the Dutch to permit their cinna-
mon peelers free admission into his dominions. To
render themselves in some measure independent of the
will of the court of Kandy, the Dutch commenced
about the year 1765 the cultivation ~f cinnamon in
the maritime provinces, and, by the year 1794, they
were able to obtain the requisite quantity of this spice,
without soliciting permission from the king to collect any
in his territory. In February 1796, the maritime pro-
vince!! of Ceylon tell into the hands of the English, and
in October 1798, the Honourable Mr North assumed the
government of the territory formerly occupied by the
Dutch. As early as 1799, the Ceylon Government began
to entertain fears that the market would be overstocked
with cinnamon, and that the price of the article would
fall ; and, by the year 1802, Mr North had adopted
measures to restrict the cultivation of cinnamon to the
four principal plantations, namely, Marandahn, Kader-
ane, Morotto, and Ekele; At this time he directed all
the cinnamon gardens belonging to government, except
the four already named, to be sold by public auction, the
purchasers to bind themselves to root out all the cinna-
mon trees and destroy them. Fortunately the uproot-
ing of cinnamon bui5hes is a work of considerable labour,
and the purchasers of a number of the plantations failed
to fulfil their contract in that respect. As might have
been anticipated, the requisite quantity of cinnamon was
henceforth obtained w~th great difficulty, and the annual
investments were greatly reduced. In July 1805, General
Maitland assumed the government of the maritime pro-
vinces, and one of the first acts of his administration was
to arrest the progress of the despoliation of the cinna-
. DigitizedbyGoogle .
----
VEGETABLE PRODUCTIOJ!,,"S. 11
mon plantations. The cultivation of cinnamon, more

especially in the government gardens, waa again actively
resumed.
The duty of collecting the cinnamon, and of peeling and
preparing it, was, as has been already stated, performed
in a compulsory manner by a class of people (Chaliahs)
who were annually assembled from the districts in which
they resided, and, as they were taken for several months
from their homes, from other profitable employments, and
subject to much exposure in the forests, upon a very limited
allowance, the servitude to which they were liable was
oonsidered very oppreuive. This hateful system pre
vailed in Ceylon from time immemorial. Like the villains.
attached to the ~il in feudal times, the Chaliahs were
transferred with unmitigated thraldbm to every succeed-
ing conqueror. Peelers who failed to produce monthly
above 30 lbs. of cinnamon, were liable to be flogged by
the order of the superintendent, and the practice ob-
tained in the cinnamon department, as the writer has
witnessed, to flog forsuch an alleged delinquency. The
Dutch punished peelen by whipping, branding, cutting
off the ears, and confinement in chains.
The system of degrading and oppreuing a portion of
the population, and their progeny, by commanding their
services at a rate below the ordinary price of la.hour,
was abolished by an order of the King in Council, which
was publislted in the Ceylon Gazette, of the 29th Sep-
tember 1832. . In the month of July 1833, the monopoly
of the trade of cinnamon was relinquished by govern-
ment, the plantations being all advertised to be sold to
the hi~hest bidder. For a few years government cha1ged
three shillings per pound of cionamen as e.xport d'uty,
hicb ia now reduced to one shilling per pound.
.Aftimall.-With the exception of the royal Tiger and
12 ANIHALS,
the Antelope, which are not found in Ceylon, the

animals are nearly the same as those of the peninsula 41
India. Nowhere perhaps in the world are elephants
more abundant than in the island. In a state of nature
they live in herds, and commit great ravages when they
enter a rice field, by treading down the grain, and hence
the rioe fields in the interior of the island require to
be w3t,ohed during night. They destroy coco-nut and
other trees, by pushing them over with their trunks,
and feeding upon the branches. They are particularly
fond of the leaves of the jaggery-palm. Elephants
have an astonishing sagacity for discovering deposits
of grain, and to reaoh them they will destroy a cottage
in a few minutes, by crushing the mud-built walls into
dust. From some cause or causes, which have not
been ascertained, male elephants occasionally wander
about alone, when they are, in Ceylon, called " Rogue
elephants," probably in consequence of their being com-
monly very vicious, and liable to injure persons who
may come in their way. Only a small proportion of the
Ceylon elephants have tusks. Gomral1, the largest ele-
phant in the possession of govemmep.t, was measured
by the writer, and found to be eight feet seven inches at
tlie shoulder.
Fonnerly a great number of elephants were caught in
the island, and exported to India to grace the native
courts, but this trade has become extinct. In mere modem
times they have been driven into Kraals and destroyed,
being considered destructive vermin. A great many
are now annually shot by gentlemen who have a taste
for i9phant shooting. The late Major Rogers, Ceylon
Regiment, ia supposed to have killed about 800 during
the twenty yee.ra he was in the ialand. Among the
Digitized.by Goog Ie
ANll[ALS, 13
coronen' inquests held in Ceylon in 1834, there were
thirteen on persons killed by elephants.
Among the birds in Ceylon, there are few more re-
markable than the Virginian Homed Owl, (Bubo Vi,..
ginianus.) Wilson, who has described this bird in his
American Ornithology, tells ~s that .. as soon as evening
draws on, and mankind retire to rest, he seods forth such
sounds as seem scarcely to belong to' this world, startling
the 110Iitary pilgrim as he slumbers by his forest fire,
' Making night hideous.' ,,
"This ghastly watchman," says Wilson, "has fre-

quently warned me of the approach of morning, and
amused me with his singular exclamations, sometimes
sweeping down and around my fire, uttering a loud and
sudden Waugh O! Waugh O! sufficient to have alarmed a
whole garrison. He has other nocturnal solos no less me-
lodious, one of which very strikingly resembles the half-
suppressed scream of a person suffocating or throttled."
The writer first heard the wailing or groaning exclama-
tion of this bird while he was accompanying a body of
troops proceeding through a densely wooded country
about midnight, for the purpose of surprising and cap-
turing a Kandyan chieftain. The Kandyans consider
.the cry of this owl as a .presage of death or misfor-
tune; unless they adopt a charm to avert its fatal sum-
mons. They call this bird Bagahmoona, devil-face, or
devil-bird, and by many the cry is presumed to come
directly from the devil.
The veracious Knox is obviously of this opinion, for
he says, " This for certain I can affirm, that oftentimes
the devil doth cry with audible voice in the night ; 'tis
very shrill, almost like the barking of a dog : this I have
often heard myself. but never heard that it did anybod1
14 ANIMALS,
any harm. Only this observation the inhabitants of the

land have made of their voice, and I have made it also,
that either just before, or very suddenly after this voice,
always the king cuts off people. To believe that this
is the voice of the devil these reasons urge-because
there is no creature known to the inhabitants that cries
like it, and because it will on a sudden depart from one
place and make a noise in another, quicker than any
fowl could fly; and because the very dogs will tremble
and shake when they hear it, and it is so accounted by
all the people.''
With respect to the snakes of Ceylon, we are informed
by Dr Davy, that of twenty different species which are
in the island, sixteen are harmless. Twenty coroners'
inquests were in 1834 held upon deaths caused by the
bites of snakes. Many of the houses in Ceylon are
thatched with coco-nut tree leaves, which give shelter
to rats, lizards, &c., and as these animals are devoured
by snakes, more especially by one species, the rat snake,
the thatch is often infested with this class of reptiles.
Occasionally they are heard making a noise among the
leaves in quest of their prey. Sometimes a snake,
several feet long, falls from the r9of, or creeps through
a. window, and disconcerts the inml!,tes of a chamber.
But snakes of various kinds occasionally enter dwelling-
houses at all times, more especially, however, when their
holes have been filled by heavy rain after a long tract of
dry weather,
There is a terrestrial leech in Ceylon which prevails
to a great extent on the hills, and such parts of the in-
terior as are exempt from a long continuance of dry
weather. This species is chiefly found in shady damp
places, crawling upon the moist leaves and branches of
trees, and upon stones in the bed, of rivulets. In dry
. DigitizedbyGoogle
ANIMALS, 15
weather it is comparatively little seen, but in rainy
weather infests the pathways and roads to an almost
incredible extent. This very troublesome animal is in
length about three-fourths of an inch, and it mons
as if measuring like a compass, the head and body
being pushed forward, and then bringing up the tail.
It is supposed to possess an acute sense of &Inell ; for
no sooner does a person stop where leeches abound,
than they crowd with great eageme@s to the spot, from
all quarters, and fasten upon him l'ioith the utmost avi-
dity. Persons passing through jungles, in moist wea-
ther, find much difficulty in preventing themselves
from being bitten, as they penetrate through stockings
with great ease, and get in contact with the skin of
the neck from the branches of trees. During the
night, they sometimes attack the face and gums of
persons asleep. I have known eighty taken from one
person at a time ; and in some oases the blood trickles
do1!11 under the clothes, so as even to appear coming
over the edges of the shoes in walking. The pain occa-
sioned by the bite is seldom acute ; indeed, it commonly
escapes notice, and the bloody clothes are the first in-
dication of having been bitten. Much itching, which
lasts for several days, follows the bites of leeches. In
1ound constitutions, the wounds soon heal, provided
ordinary care is taken of them ; but with soldiers in the
field, who cannot pay the requisite attention to them,
they often fester, and degenerate into extensive sores
and ulcers, so as to lead to loss of limb, and even to loss
of life, During the revolt of the Kandyans, many of
the Company's troops, together with the pioneers and
coollies employed in the field, thus lost their lives. Some
of the Europeans suft'ered severely from large, ill-condi-
tioned ulcers arising from the B&me cause. These
16 ANIMALS,
animals bite cattle ; and it is observed. where leeches

abound, that sheep do not thrive,
The woody character of the country may be esti-
mated, when it is stated, that even in Kandy the bel-
lowing of elks, arid the howling and yelping of troops of
jackals, are heard almost every night. "Imagine,"
says Eothen, " some dozen ehildren, of tender age,
mourning and sobbing to allay their pain, then burst-
ing forth into a chorus witli bitter and heart-rending
lamentation. Such is the cry of the jackal." Their
cry is certainly very sad and melancholy. Within about
a mile of the Fort of Point de Galle, several children
were, not long ago, carried away by leopards.
/..Aabitants.-The population of Ceylon may be di-
vided into five classes,
1,t, The Singalese, who are genera'lly Boodhists.
This class occupies the south and south-west coasts of
the island, from the Magampatto. on the east to Chi-
law, on the west coast, t.ogetber with all the Kandyan
country. Colloquially, the inhabitants of the above
territ.ory are subdivided int.o two varieties, namely,
Singalae and Kandyam, terms which are similar in
import to Lowlanders and Highlanders. There is no
specific distinction between them ; they have the same
origin, speak the same language, follow the same reli-
gion, and have the same habits of life. Both Lowlanders
and Highlanders observe the civil distinctions of caste,
the number of castes or professions being, according to
Casie Chitty, twenty-four. The Singalese, like, the
inhabitants of the peninsula of India, have European
features, the colour of their skin varying from brown to
olack.
Singe-lwllM, poople of lion' blood.
INlliBITANTS. 17
2d, The Hindoos, commonly denominated J/alali<iN
or Tamul,. This class occupies the eastern and northern
parts of the island. They are obviomly derived from
the same stock as those who inhabit the opposite coast
of the peninsula of India, having originally come to
Ceylon as invaders. They are followers of Brahma.
3d, The Moon This class is supposed to be the
descendants of an enterprising colony of Arabs. They
are chiefly merchants, and follow the Mabommedan re-
ligion. They are dispersed over all the island, and
may be looked upon as the most industrious and labo-
rious class of the population.
4tA, The Vedah, or Beda,, This class lives in an
unsocial savage state in extensive forests along the banks
of the Maha Villa Ganga, in the neighbourhood of Bin-
tenna. The Vedahs may be divided into Village Ve-
dabs and Forest Vedahs. The former, though beneath
the general population in social and moral qualities;
rank high in the scale of civilization when compared
with the Forest Vedahs, who seldom associate with their
brethren of the villages. The Forest Vedahs appear to
live in pairs, like some of the wild beasts of the woods,
and, so far as is known, rarely associate much together.
Their dress consists of a small piece of cloth, depending
in front from a string tied round the loins. The wea-
pons they use are clubs, and bows and arrows, the blades
of which are from four to twelve inches long. It is
with these long-bladed arrows and very coarse bows
that Ved4-hs kill elephants, deer, elks, &e.
The ancestors of the present Vedahs appear to have
been the aborigine.of the island, who preferred the wild
life of the hunter to the tamer one of the agriculturist,
and never mixed with the immigrants from the different
provinces of India, Finding in the woods all that was
18 INHABlTANTS.
necelS&l'y for subsistence, they have. hitherto continued ,

to roam the forests for prey, uncontrolled by foreigners.
and undisturbed by innovation. The religion of the
Ved&hs is said to be a rude superstition, consisting
chiefly of propitiatory rites offered to evil demons, and of
the worship of serpents. This people seem never to have
been converted to Boodhism ; but it must be confessed,
that little, if anything, certain is known respecting the
m-0ral habits and religion of this wild people.
5th, Burgher, . This olass comprehends the deacend.
anta of Europeans ofunmued blood, and that race which
has sprung from the intercoune of Europeans with the
natives.
Many thousands of Africans (Ca.tfries) have been in
troduced into the island, both as slaves and as soldiers,
by the successive European powers who have had po&
session of the maritime territory ; but they never kept
up their numbers, and have nearly disappeared.
The occupations of the people are chiefly agricultural.
Moral Character of the Highlanders and Lowlanders :
-" In carriage and behaviour, the Kandyans are very
grave and stately, like unto the Portugals; in under-
standing, quick and apprehensive ; in design, subtile
and crafty ; in discourse, courteous but full of flatteries ;
naturally inclined to temperance, both in meat and
drink, but not to chastity ; near and provident in their
families, commending good husbandry ; in their dispo
sitions not passionate, neither hard to be reconciled
again when angry ; in their promises very unfaithful ;
approving lying in themselves, but misliking it in others ;
delighting in sloth ; deferring labour till urgent neces-
sity constrain& them ; neat in. apparel ; nice in eating ;
and not much given to sleep."
The Lowlanden, or, as they are usually denominated,
19
the Singa.lese, .. are kind, pitifol, helpfol, honest, and

pla.in ; oompassion&ting strangers, which we found by
oUl' own experience amoQg them. They of the uplands
(Kaodyans) are ill-natured, false, unkind, though out-
wardly fair, and seemingly cou.rteous, and of more com-
plaisant carriage, speech, and better behaviour, than
the Lowlanders."-(Hutorical .Belatio of tAe I,lana of
Oey"lon, by .Robert Knoz,)
Knox is, in general, so well informed, 10 accmate,
and so truthful, in regard to the Kandyan country and
its inhabitants, that it is very seldom safe to diifer from
his conclusions. Oriental nations are very slow in
changing their habits, or modes of thinking and acting ;
and perhaps Knox's character of the inhabitants of.
Ceylon is as true now as it was when he published his
work in 1681.
In physical force and mental energy, the Kandyans,
or Singalese of the interior provinces, are greatly supe-
rior to the Singalese of the maritime provinces. After
the conquest of Ceylon by the English, an attempt was
made to raise a body of Singalese, for the purpose of
incorporating them into an armed military corps, but
the attempt,, it is said, did not succeed. The corps,
which Cordiner designates as His Majesty's Ceylon
Native Infantry,-which subsequently became the 2d
Ceylon Regiment,-was finally recruited entirely by
natives of the peninsula of India. The Kandyan people
are hardy, brave, and, like most mountaineers, passion-
ately attached to their native hills; and, on many occa-
sions, they have evinced an ardent love of liberty, or, at
least, a detestation of foreign conquest. No attempt
has been made to raise a body of Kandyans to be incor-
porated as a military corps.
The physical and moral qualities which distinguish
20 INHABITA}frS.
the Highland from the Lowland Siogaleae, it is pre-

sumed, did not exist in any remarkable degree while the
island was under one government, or till after the mari-
time provinces had been conquered and held by a Euro-
pean power.
In many respects, the Kandyan government and usages
resembled the feudal system of Europe. In both coun-
tries, the king was surrounded by a body of warlike
chieftains, who paid him little more than nominal sub-
. mission, and claimed the right of ruling their own pro-
vinces with nearly arbitrary sway. These chiefs held
their lands as fiefs of the crown, and by a kind of military
tenure. In Ceylon, all men below the rank of mohotal,
or gentleman, were obliged to work: for thirty days in
each year for the king's service, without pay or provender.
Kandyan nobles, like the chiefs of Scotland, were collo-
quially named after their properties; hence, Eheylapola,
Kappitapola, Madugalla, were named after estates or
villages.
The Kandyans, although deficient in the principal
elements of a high degree of civilization, such as wealth,
truth, and moral principle, are not rude in their man-
ners ; and, when rouSlld by real or imaginary wrongs,
they display a brave and persevering spirit, particularly
in resisting and repulsing invaders. From the time
that the Portuguese obtained a secure footing on the
coast of the island, the Kandyan government had to
keep up a constant struggle against the open and covert
attacks of an enterprising, ambitious, powerful, and in-
triguing enemy, and against the plots and treasons of
disaffected chiefs, whose treachery was uniformly pro-
moted by the government of the maritime provinces. I
Thi11 circumstance will, in some measure, account for
the fact, that the European local government was alwaya
I
i
j
~
JNJIABIT ANTS.
considered hostile, and that professions of amity from

that quarter were regarded, generally, with much suspi
cion, sometimes with indifference or contempt. It will
also, in part, account for some of the recorded deaths
by violence amongst the kings, and for the extreme
severity usually exercised in punishing traitors or sus-
pected traitors. The Singalese are not naturally a cruel
raee. Although the punishments of the Kandyans were
often disproportionately severe, they were also frequently
of a very trifling character. None of their punishments
seem to have been of that lingering kind which used to
be pr&etised in our own country, such as the "rack," or
the "scavenger's daughter;" nor were the disembowelling
atrocitiPs enacted in the cases of persons sentenced to
die for high treason. The general feeling of the people
seems to be :unfavourable to acts of cruelty. When exe-
cutions took place in the vicinity of Kandy, whether of
indigenous or Malay delinquents, scarcely an inhabitant
repaired to the spot to witness the scene, while, perhaps,
not a European wife of a soldier in the garrison was
absent.
We are informed by Dr Davy, that during the tragical
scene when Eheylapola's children and wife were exe-
cuted, the crowd who had assembled to witness it wept
aloud, unable to suppress their grief and horror. During
two days, he adds, the whole of Kandy, with the excep-
tion of the tyrant's court, was as one house of mourning
and lamentation ; and so deep :was the grief, that not a
fire, it is said, was kindled, no food was dressed, and a
general fast was held. How creditable is this remark-
able statement to the feelings and the humanity of the
Kandyan population ! Contrast their conduct, on this
occasion, with the behaviour of a crowd in this country
at the execution of persons condemned for high treason ;
INHABITANTS,
for example, the execution of nine gentlemen, for trea.

son, on Kennington Common, on the 30th July 1746,
When, after they had been suspended three minutes,
the soldiers went under. the bodies, drew off their shoes,
white stockings, and breeches, while the executioner
pulled off the rest of their clothes. A London mob,
who had booted these ill-fated gentlemen to and from
their trials, permitted these atrocities to be committed
without disapprobation.
The Kandyan officials, but particularly the Dissaves,
who possessed kingly power in their own district, as-
sumed a state and dignity nearly allied to royalty. On
important occasions, they were usually preceded by a
number of men, cracking large whips, and by a number
of tom-tom,, (small drums,) accompanied by several
parasol-bearers, with other attendants. A boy or page
almost invariably attended a chief.
Nothing in Kandy surprised the English so much as
the unconstrained manner and manly bearing of the
Kandyan chieftains. In the ball-room. or at a review,
and with the display so new to them, they were never
taken by surprise. Eheylapola and Kappitapola were
particularly distinguished for decorum and propriety of
behaviour. The latter chieftain used to be called by
the English the Kandyan Chesterfield.
The dress of the chieftains, which seems not to have
been changed for many centuries, is picturesque. They
wear a white cap, resembling' a turban ; their beards
full and bushy ; their hair long, and tied up in a round
ball, ( conde) ; a muslin or embroidered silk jacket, open
in front, the sleeves fastened at the wrists with small
gold buttons, tight to above the elbows, but puffed out
to a great size at the shoulders ; a printed calico or
muslin cloth round the loios, t.lliog below the knee,
INHABITANTS. 23
like very wide trowsers. In persons of high rank, thie
part of the dress is ftry profuse, giving the nobility a
pot-bellied appearance. In the folds of this cloth they
usually carry a large knife or_ dagger, a betel.box, and
a writing stylus. When walking, an attendant holds an
omamented talipot over them, which se"es as a parasol
or umbrella. Two or three men sometimes march in
front, carrying large sticks, and a boy commonly follOW11,
bearing a sword. Men of distinction usually carry a
long painted walking-cane.
In the house, the dress commonly worn is very simple,
being merely a single cloth wrapped round the loins ; the
upper part of the body being quite naked. The writer,
when he used to call upon Eheylapola, the greatest
chieftain in the country, at his residence, found him in
this guise.
Females of the higher ranks have a similar lofty bear-
ing, and dignity of manners, with the nobility or chief-
tains. The dress of the women of distinction is of fine
oloth, with plain or coloured edges ; it fits close to their
bodies,,and descends to their toes, with folds round their
waist ; they wear no veils or covering on their heads,
a handkerchief is thrown loosely over the left shoulder,
their hair is long, and divided in the middle of the (ore-
bead, and tied up behind in a knot or con<U. When
abroad, they wear ear-rings, chains, and bracelets,
generally of silver, but ladies of the higher ranks wear
gold ornaments. They are cleanly in their habits, and
careful of their persons, and keep their hair well oiled.
The legs and feet of both men and women are bare ;
children of both sexes go without any clothing till they
are five or six years of age. Itch is a very frequent
cutaneous affection among all ranks of the people, and
they do not seem to be either ashamed of this affection,
H INHABITANTS.
or much annoyed by it. The female domestics are

much employed in capturing the inhabitants of the head,
and seem to take much plea.sure in this kind of '' chase."
The men always eat a.lone, and the mother and chil-
dren in a separate apartment. They sit on a mat on the
ffoor, and eat with their fingers off' plantain leaves; the
people of distinction have saucers to hold their numerous
curries. All ranks avoid touching the vessel with their .
lips while drinking. For pouring liquid into their mouths,
they have an earthen vessel resembling oul' teapot.
The upper ranks of the Ka.ndyans can generally read
and write their own language. They write on slips of
the leaf of the Palmyra, and of the talipot tree, by
means of an iron stylus which they wear in their waist-
cloth. They write from left to right, and in a very ex-
peditious or off-handed manner. Besides works on the
life and doctrines of Boodhoo, the Singa.lese have many
books both in verse and prose on moral subjects, grammar,
medicine, astronomy, and various branches of literature
common to other Ea.stern nations, including a very com-
plete history of the kings of Ceylon.
Literature seems to have a considerable va.l11e among
some of the natives of the island. Oppressed as the
Chaliahs or cinnamon peelers were, m~ny of them enter-
tained a desire for information, and endeavoured to give
their children some degree of education. In 1814, there
were 2000 peelers employed by the Ceylon local govern-
ment, and of this number, the superintendent of cinna-
mon plantations, the late much respected James Mait-
land, Esq., ascertained that 420 could read and write
the Singa.Iese language. In a work lately published on
Ceylon, it is asserted, that " it is rare indeed to see a
Tall pot&, literally Book-leaf.
Goog Ie
I
Digitized by
DWELLINGS, 25
Ceylonese, eTen of the poorest class, who cannot read and

write his own language. Can the most civilized nations
of Europe make the same boast ?"-(Knighton's History
of Ceylon, p. 178.) Mr Knighton has, it may be feared,
given a rather too favourable account of the literature
of the population.
Dwelling,.-The huts or dwellings are commonly
situated in rather sheltered situations. They are usually
constructed of mud, composed of a ferruginous earth ;
and, in the maritime provinces, they are that.ched with
coco-nut leaves, in the Kandyan country with paddy
straw. They are surrounded by a clump of trees, most
commonly the jack-tree, (.Artocarpu, int.egrifolia,) coco-
nut tree, and the plantain-tree, ( Mma Paradisiaca, Lin.)
The dwellings are built separate from one another : each
hut being, in a certain degree, independent. The
houses of the chiefs are raised on a low terrace, built in
a
the form of hollow square, presenting externally a dead
wall, and internally bordering the open area or verandah,
with which the side rooms communicate by narrow
doors. The houses of the chiefs are tiled. Most of
the. rooms even in the houses of the chiefs are badly
lighted, having small openings, or windows, hardly
large enough to admit the human head. The floors are of
clay, and are occasionally covered with a dilute mixturil
of fresh cow-dung with water, which serves the purpose
of keeping off insects. A sheathing of this substance
is well adapted to cover smoked walls, preparatory to
being white-washed. The Singalese, or Kandyans, do
not, says' Knox, " care to make streets by building their
houses together in ro"!s, but each man lives by himself
in his own plantation, having a hedge, it may be, ~nd
a dit.ch round about him to keep out cattle." The
B
26 POPULATION-OOMMERCE,
villages are sometimes surrounded by a deep ditch, as a

protection against elephants.
The housesgenerallycont.ain nothing butrattan couches
for sitting upon, together with a few chests for holding
their dre88 and ornaments ; the apartment a chief ooou-
pies is generally hung round with white cotton cloth.
Except the chiefs, both men and women sleep on mats
on the floor.
Population.-In 1833, the total population amounted.
to 1,126,808, being about forty-five inhabitants per
square mile. Perhaps about two-thirds of the popula-
1 tion are Singalese.
Arts and Manufacture,.-The Singalese work in gold
and silver, and their jewellery is much admired : they
are said to excel rather in the setting than in the cutting
of precious stones. They engrave the Singalese charac-
ter on copper plates. They smelt iron ; and the Ceylon
blacksmiths are supposed to be on a par, in as far as the
exercise of their art is concerned, with the common
country blacksmiths in Europe. Weaving is practised,
but it has ma.de very little progreM, the loom being of a
very rude construction. In the practice of agriculture
they evince much ingenuity.
The principal manufa.otures in Ceylon are salt, oil,
arrack, and coir cordage, In 1833 the salt farms yielded
a revenue of L.29,~ and in 184:1 coco-nut oil was
exported from Colombo to the amount of L.26,988.
Oommerce, (intemal.)-The exports from the Kandyan
country to the maritime provinces consist principally of
grain (paddy,) coffee, jaggery (coarse sugar,) and areca-
nuts. The returns being chiefly salt, salt fish, and piece
goods.
Oommerce, (utemal.)-The first accounts of Ceylon
J
COJDIEBCE. 27
were brought to Europe by the Macedoniana who were
with Ale.under in India. During the early commerce of
Ceylon, ships appear to have sailed from that ialand
with produce tJ) the ports of Arabia Felix, by the coast
of Scinde, and the mouth of the Persian Gulf, where
they were met by ships from the Red Sea, by which
means Egypt for a long time enjoyed a monopoly of
the Indian trade with respect to Europe. After Hippalus
had successfully attempted to sail direct from the Ara
bian Gulf to the Malabar coast, this became the usual
course, the more circuitous route being eventually aban
doned. From this period the Romans commenced to
trade extensively with India and Ceylon, and this con-
tinued until the decay of their empire. In the eleventh
century, the traffic was entirely in the bands of Moham-
medan Arabs, who circulated the productions of India
and Ceylon through the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, in
various countries of Asia, Europe, &Dd Africa. The
commerce of Ceylon was not materially altered until the
discovery of the passage round the Cape, (14:97,) when
the Portuguese engrossed the tra<le of its principal pro
ductions, and the maritime relations that had previously
existed were, .in a great measure, abolished.
The Portuguese were particularly anxious to obtain
rich exports of the productions of Ceylon, as it was on
the sale of these in Europe, that the profits both of the
govemment and of its servants depended. Of the variou1
articles which Ceylon produces, cinnamon has particularly
attracted the attention of the Europeaa Govemments
that have succe11Sively taken possessioo of that island.
Indeed, it was long considered as almost the only source
of their revenue.
The Portuguese havingoonstncted a fort at Colombo,
aoon aftel' CORcluded a t.l'eaty with the king of the wand,
.
28 COIDIEKCE,
by which he stipulated to furnish his allies with250,000

lbs. of cinnamon annually, they being bound to assist
him, and his successors, against his enemies both by sea
and land
. The Dutch devoted much attention to cinnamon as
an article. of commerce. For some time before the
Kandyan war, which commenced in 1763, the Dutch
exported annually from 8000 to 10,000 bales, each weigh-
ing 86 lbs. Dutch, or 92 lbs. English. Subsequently to
the conclll!ion of the war in question, the amount of
cinnamon exported fell off to 6000 or 7000 bales annu-
ally, and the declension of the export of this article was
progressive, as will appear by the following statement of
an account of the cinnamon imported into Holland, and
sold at the Dutch East India Company's auctions from
the year 1785 to 1791 inclusive:-
Years. !be. Amount.

1785. . ... .................. ..... 309,040 . . . . ..... L . 199,470
1786.. . ......... . .. . ... . ...... . . 453,920 ... . ..... 280,605
1787 ............ ........... .. ... 144,000 . ........ 82,470
I 788, ........... . . . .... ........ , 485,600 ......... 273,765
1789 . ............ ... ......... . .. 463;400 ....... . . 252,785
1790..... .. . ...... . ............ . 375,920 . .. ... 205,045
1791 .. . ......... .............. .. 183,785 .... .. ... 100,285
The average annual quantity imported being 345,092

lbs., and the average amount of sales L.199,195, =
ll s, 6d. per lb.
Towards the end of the last century, a cinnamon bark,
under the name of cassia, was introduced from China
into the European market, in such quantities as to dimi-
nish the demand for Ceylon cinnamon, for which it is a
substitute. In 1797, the year after the capture of Cey-
Ion, the East India Company exported 1,340,675 lbs. of
1
cinnamon to England.
COMMEBOE. 29
When the island was transferred from the East India
Company to the immediate administration of the king's
government, on the 1st of January 1802, it was deemed
expedient to grant the East India Company the exdu
sive privilege of exporting cinnamon from the colony.
It was consequently agreed, that the Ceylon Government
should deliver annually to the Company 400,000 lbs. of
cinnamon, making 4324 bales, each consisting of 92
lbs., for which the Company granted to government a
credit of L.60,000, being at the rate of 3s. per lb.
The ,following are the actual investments made from
1802 to 1812, inclusive:-
Inveetment ol Bala Inftltment ot Balee.
1802 ................ 3679 1808............... . 4012
1803................ 2680 1809, ............... 3910
1804., ............... 2678 1810................ 4425
1805................ 2469 18ll, ............... 4000
1806................ 4166 1812................ 4600
1807 ....... . ........ 4850
The i'evenue of the island for 1831 amounted to

L,381,142, and the following were among the taxes
composing it :-Salt, L.27,891; Landrents, L.25,807;
Fish,rents, L.7773; Cinnamon, L.106,432. The ~ -
ket price of the finest quality of cinnamon in 1843 wu,
in Ceylon, about 3s. 6d. per lb. Formerly, the Dutch
were accustomed to pay the Kandyans about 6d. per lb.
for cinnamon, which they sold in Europe at from l Is.
to Us. 6d.
The value of exports, in 1843, was estimated at
L.4-00,038; of imports, L,720,145, The values of some
of the principal articlea of export were as follow, fractions
excepted:-
30 COllOIERCE.
Areca-11uu, ................. , ................ , , .. L27,orr

Cinnam.OD, ....................................... . 66,269
Coco-nut Products : -
Coco-nuts, .................. . L.7,279
Kemela, ..................... .. S,7114
Shells, ....................... .. 398
Coir, ............................ 9,118
Oil, .......................... .. 43,873
66,442
Coffee, ....... , ................................... .. 192,890
Tobacco, ........................................ .. 11,ll'i8
L.365,146
Thus it appears that 91 per cent. of the value of the

articles exported in 1843 was derived from five plants.
The value of the coffee exported in 1813 was only 17 43
rix-dollars, being equal to about L.130. The rapid in-
crease of the production of coffee in the island will
appear by the following table of exports for a period
of eleven years, ending 1841 : -
y_.., Cwt& Valued at
1831 ............................... 17,287 ......... L.14,287
1832 ............................... aa,719 ......... 50,3-48
1833............................... 18,901 ......... 23,595
1834................. : ............. 21,31, ......... 31,1,8
1835 ............................. 22,071 ......... 45,970
1836, .............................. 56,835 ......... 140,595
1837 . .............................. 39,666 ......... 106,064
1838............................... 49,263 ......... 115,863
1839 ............................... 40,668 ......... 126,886
18-40. ; ............................ 62,074 ......... 197,388
1841 ............................... 77,475 ......... 200,964
In 1831, the exports subject to duty bad, on an ave

rage, to pay about 35 per cent. One product, namely,
areca-nuts, was charged as high as 75 per cent. Of the
imports, more than three-fourths consisted of grain and
cotton cloths, and the 'duties levied upon them amounted
to about 14 per cent.
D1g1tized by Google
'lllLlTARY DEFENCE 31
.Military ~/e11ee.-In regard to the military defence

of the kingdom of Kandy, or, as it is.frequently called, the
Kandyan country, it is important to at.ate, that the
chiefs held their lands by tenure of se"ice, and that
they were obliged, when called upon, to joie the king at
the head of their vassals or followers ; each follower or
soldier being provided with a musket and fifteen days'
provisions, tegether with a small earthen veasel ( a chatty)
for the purpose of dressing riee, &c. On the eastern
side of the island, the rollowers were frequently a.rmed
with bows and arrows. A few cakes, made of natehenny
meal, a small quantity of rice, and a few coco-nuts,
composed the whole of a Kandyan soldier' stock for a
campaign of fifteen days. At the end of this period, the
army was recruited by a new levy from the population.
Until the reign of Rajah Singha I., a very inefficient
military policy prevailed ; but this sagacious monarch
soon saw that a want of discipline, and an inferiority of
arms, rendered his countrymen unfit to cope with their
enemies. When the Portuguese took the field, be found
himself at first frequently defeated. Perceiving the
causes of these defeats. he changed the mode of his war-
fare, and, instead of trusting all to the issue of a single
battle, he engaged his .enemy in petty skirmishes, long
marches, and wasting delays, (Knighton.) He, in fact,
endeavoured to blockade them in the field. His whole
energy was next directed to obtain firearms, without
which he perceived the futility of hi attempts to repulse
the enemy.
The blacksmiths of the country make efficient fire-
looks, and the natives manufacture tolerably good gun-
powder. Saltpetre is found in abundance in the island,
and tbe sulphur is procured by importation. Instead of
32 IIILITABY DEDNCE,
leaden bullets, they frequently use a portion of a rod of

iron, about an inch long,
A leaf of the talipot-tree serves to pn,teet a Kandyan
from the heat of the sun during the day ; and two men,
I
by placing the broad end of their leaves together, with
the aid of a few sticks, can form a tent that will com-
pletely defend them against rain, and shelter them du-
ring the night.
The country being generally covered with trees, or
low brushwood, the natives are enabled to conceal them-
selves within gunshot of an invading foe ; and they
were accustomed to impede the march of an enemy
by felling, and placing as abbatis, large trees across
defiles. In narrow passes, where these. obstructions
could not be avoided, they proved a serious obstacle.
A ware of the advantages they possessed in being familiar
with the country, they avoided close combat, and wisely
preferred desultory warfare, They harass the enemy on
his marchps, hang on his flanks, cut off his supplies,
.interrupt the communication between garrisons or de
tachment.s, and occupy the heights which command the
passes, whence they fire from behind rocks or trees. As
the troops are, from the nature of the path, often oblige4
to march in single file, they are much exposed to the fire
of the eQemy. Two or three men will, by these means,
annoy a party of several hundreds. The Kandyans are
said to aim principally at the coollies, who carry the
ammunition and provisions, without which a regular
force can make but little progress. To dislodge Kan-
dyans from height.a i~ a task of much difficulty, the paths
being well known only to the inhabitant.s.-(Narrati,ieo/
a" B~ition to Kandy, the., 'by Oaptam JoAmton.)
For a long period hostile operations in the Kandyan
GOVERNMENT. 33
country generally proved nnfavourable to the constitu-
tions of the European race, so much so, that the insalu-
brity of the climate was a powerful auxiliary to the se-
curity of the native govemment.
To these difficulties, arising from the nature of the
conntry, and the manner of fighting practised by the
natives, together with a hereditary hatred of Europeans;
may in a great measure be attributed the remarbble
circumstance of a tract of conntry, in the be:ut of an
island, cut off from all external supplies, and every
where snrronnded by a settlement of foreigners, so long
remaining in the hands of a people neither strong nor
warlike, in spite of repeated and most determined efforts
to wrest it from them by three European nations in
succession.
Go1iemment.-The govemment of the kingdom of
Kandy was. like all the governments in India, a despot-
ism. No one was qualified to sit on the throne, unless
he belonged to the rajah caste, and professed to maintain
the religion of Boodhoo. The throne could hardly be
ealled hereditary ; for although the sons of former kings
occasionally succeeded, they were also frequently set
aside, and a king elected by the chiefs. The preroga-
tive of birth, as a claim to the crown of Kandy, seems
never to have obtained the sanction of popular opinion,
and hence, any faction might entertain hopes of dictat-
ing who should occupy the vacant throne. To the want
of an established ruJe in regard to the succession, may
be attribnted " the frequent civil wars through which
an Asiatic despot is obliged to cut bis way to the throne
of bis fathers." In the history of Ceylon we frequently
read of depositions and usurpations ; yet these appear to
have passed over without much disturbing the mass of
the population. Like most other nations under despotic
B 2
34 GOVEJUQIElllT,
rule, the Kandyans frequently changed their masters,

without making any att.empt to improve their political
condition. When a king died who had no near relations,
and who had not nominated a sncceB1Jor, the office of
selection devolved on the ministers, who proposed a
candidate to the chiefs and people, and with their con
sent placed him on the throne.
The last four kings who ascended the throne of Kandy
were elected in this way, and the persons elected were
all near relations to the Hindoo queens of the pre-0eding
king. The Singalese dynasty had, therefore, been for a
considerable time extinct. None of the Hindoo queens
of the first three of the kings mentioned left any issue.
It appears to have been customary for the kings to marry
Hindoo ladies, being connections of a family who for-
merly held an independent sovereignty in a small state
near Madura, on the peninsula of India. The relations
of the queens resided in a particular street in Kandy,
(Malabar Street,) and although they were seldom raised
to situations of trust and emolument, they all had reve-
nues assigned to them for their support. They were
usually designated Nayakanu, (relations of the king.)
They were in constant attendance at court, and by their
familiar intercourse with the king and the queens, they
greatly moderated the influence of the Singalese or Kan-
dyan courtiers. Owing to the jealousy which the Kan-
dyan chiefs entertained of each other, they often elected
a N ayakara to the throne, in preference te choosing one
of themselves to be the sovereign.
The king was the acknowledged lord of the soil ; he
taxed the people, and determined the services they were
to perform. All offices of government were at his dis-
posal, and all honours as well as power emanated from
him ; for, says Knox, " he ruleth absolute, and after hi&
D1g1tized by Google
GOVEBNKENT, 35
own will and pleaaure-hia own head being his onl.\

coumellor."
In the Shasters, the great authority with oriental
monarchs, the boldest figures are employed to display
the irresistible power, the glory, and almost the divinity
of a king. He was subject to no legal control by human
authority, and neither the councils nor chiefs appear to
have posseued any comtitutional power but what they
received from his will. He was, no doubt, generally
kept within certain bounds by the fear of mutiny and
rebellion. He was also taught to regard his nearest
neighbours and their allies as hostile ; the powers next
beyond these natural foes as amicable, and all remote
powers as neutral.-(E~Ai,vton', India.)
The natives of India may be said to be very tolerant
of despotism, if not of despots, for, although they fre.
quently change their tJl'&Dt.11, they seldom or never take
any etfectual steps to prevent future opprel!8ion, in fact,
to rid themselves of tyranny. They seem to look upon
the kind of government under which they live as some-
thing that neceuarily exists, and that cannot be other-
wise. Man is, in a great degree, formed by the society
in which he lives, and the circumstances under which
he is placed. The natives of India do not seem to be
aware that good government is their due ; indeed, a peo-
ple accustomed to a despotic government appear to be
incapable of appreciating the value of a power to restrain
their tmpreme rulers in any other way but by deposing
or assassinating them. Absolute power implies passive
obedience, and an implicit and habitual submission to
i.he despot who rules, as well as to his officers.
The chief strength of the court of Kandy consisted in
the common jealousy of the aristocracy towards each
other, on which account a foreign or Malabar dynasty
36 .GOVERNMENT.
was preferred to a native or Singalese dynasty. The king-,

although an unlimited mona.rch, andapparently invested
with power and dignity, in reality p088eesed few or none
of the advantages which bestow on moll&l'Che their gr&n
deUl' and influence. He was, properly speaking, only a
chief, whose dignity and rank were sanctioned by other
chiefs, and sustained by their attachment and authority.
Hie money revenues were extremely limited; and hav-
ing no efficient, standing army, he had little independent
power.
The king who was deposed in 1815 entertained a body-
guard of about fifty or sixty Malaya, mostly the descend-
ants of runaway Dutch slaves, and deserters from the
Dutch Malay corps. These mercenaries were little to be
depended upon, which is evident from their being com-
monly found more or less implicated in the several con-
spiracies which were formed against the king.
The officers of highest rank were the ministers deno-
minated Adikars. These were commonly two, but
sometimes three in number. The duties of the adikars
were very comprehensive : in addition to the office of
, ministers, they bad also the duties of chief justice and
military commanders to perform. All the public officers,
from the rank of adikar to that of the village vidaan,
were invested with more or le88 judicial power.
The chiefs of dissavonies were called Diesaves, who
had nearly sovereign power in their own district. They
were nominated by the king, and presented by the adikar
to the assembled mohotals, a subordinate ela88 of officers
in the district, fot the purpose of aeoertaining whether
they had any objection to the chief whom the king bad
selected to be their dissave, their assent being held ne-
cessary to complete the appointment.
These measures were obviously intended to render all
D1g1tized by Google
GOVEBNJIENT. 37
public appointments popular ; but, owing to a corrupt
administration of recognised usages, it is alleged that
most of the official appointments were obtained by pur-
chase ; those who purchased situations, no doubt, intend-
ing to avail themselves of the influence of their office to
exercise extreme exaction.
The duties of the chiefs of districts were to administer
justice, to collect the revenue, and to superintend every
other part of govemment under their command. For
these purposes, the dissaves generally made an annual
circuit through their districts ; but the king, being un-
favourable to thejr acquiring much influence or popu-
larity with the people, often recalled them after a short
absence from the capital.
The revenue of each district having been ascertained,
it was the duty of the dissave to have the amount col,
looted and paid into the treasury, a chief being held re-
sponsible for any failure in the king's dues.
The duties and senices of the people to the king con-
sisted chieftyinserving as militiawhenrequired. "Every
man was expected to take the field with a musket of his
own, the king providing ammunition ; and he was ex-
pected to continue on service until he received permis-
sion to retum home.'' He was also obliged to labour at
public works, and to attend certain religious festivals,
He had, at the same time, to pay an annual quit-rent to
the king, as lord of the soil, of one-twentieth of the rice
it produced, and six challies, or about a halfpenny each
for chena ground. Paddy lands now pay a tax generally
~f one-tenth of the produce, but varying from one-half
to one-fourteenth. The increase of the land-tax took
place in 1818, t~e years after the country had been
in possession of the English.

' Digitized by Goog Ie
38 JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT,
Judicial Departmene.-The Kandyan judges were, it

is alleged, not guided by a written code of laws. " Here
are no laws," says Knox, "but the will of the king, and
whatsoever proceeds out of his mouth is an immutable
law ; nevertheless, they have certain ancient usages and
customs that do prevail, and are obse"ed as laws, and
pleading them in their courts, and before their governors,
will go a great way." Causes in dispute were decided
according to ancient custom, and the common principles
of equity acknowledged by all mankind ; but in practice,
whenever a ease was in any degree complicated, or the
right doubtful, it was generally decided in favour of the
party who bribed highest, who, in vulgar language, gave
the most valuable boolat sooraloo. The literal meaning
of this phrase implies a mouthful of betel, but, when
used metaphorically, it bears the sense of a bribe or
present. Both parties usually bribed a judge; but the
party who lost bis ea.use was entitled to have his boolat
sooraloo returned. The dissaves had power to punish
disorderly persons, chiefly by inflicting a fine on them,
which floe became their own, and also by committing
them to prison, whence they rarely issued without money
being given as a bribe.
An appeal might be made from the decision of a sub-
ordinate to a superior chief, till it reached the king,
whose sentence was in all eases final. " The deposed
king lost bis popularity with the principal chiefs in con-
sequence of his having made some severe examples for
the purpose of restraining their abuse of power, more
especially their oppressive manner of administering
justice."-(Simon Sawers' MS. Notes.)
Crimes and PuniBMnffltl.- Individuals were punishable
with death who molested, persecuted, or killed their
JUDIOUL DEPARTJIENT. 39
parents, teachers, priests, or any other persons, together
with those who committed offences against the king,
broke down ho-trees, defaced dagobahs (buildings at-
tached to temples,) as also those who stole articles de-
voted to Boodhoo or the gods, who pilfered property
belonging to the king, robbed upon the road, plundered
villages, &c.-( See Bertolacci, Law, and U,age, of the
Kantlyan,.)
The punishment of death was usually carried into
effect by banging, or by being killed by elephants, the
bodies being exposed, or hung in chains, .in a similar
manner to that which continues to be adopted in the
territories of the Honourable the East India Company,
and which, until lately, was practised in this country.
Men of rank were decapitated with a sword, while they
sat on the ground ; losing the head being, as with us,
considered the most honourable mode of receiving capital
punishment. Females were drowned.
No one but the king himself bad the power of passing
the sentence of death.
Secondary .Puni,hment,.-This class of punishments
The infilction of capital punishment upon women, by drown-
ing, in the Kandyan provinces, was abolished in 1826.
At one time in Scotland the ordinary punishment of females for
crimes of lesser magnitude was drowning. In cases of murder,
treason, witchcraft, &c., they were beheaded or burnt at the stake.
It was common for regality and barony courts to execute women
bydrowning. The North Loch of Edinbtuth was the scene of
ex6C11tion in all snch cases where sentence was pronounced by the
bailies of Edinburgh, or by the bailie ofregality ofBroughton. T!Je
mode of execution by drowning was different in Ceylon and in
Scotland. In Kandy, the female who was to be put to death was
enclosed in a sack and thrown into a tank. But in Scotland, courts
having the feudal rights of "pit and gallows," sentenced women
convicted of theft to be drowned in a pit or f owsi. There are
insta.nces recorded where females in Scotland were drowned by
tying them to stakes within the sea water-mark, at low water, a.
contrivance which rendered their death lingering and dreadful
Digitized by Goos Ie
40 JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT.
consisted of dismemberment of various kinds ; mutila-

tion by cutting off the hands, noses, and ears, and also
imprisonment with irons, flogging, fines, &c. Male
offenders were occasionally made to stand for a long time
with a heavy stone laid on their shoulders. Females
were punished by being obliged to stand with a heavy
basket of sand on their beads. The punishment of the
stocks was also employed. An oath made under a bogah
tree was considered binding in all cases.
Sometimes delinquents were banished to insalubrious
districts where the cause of fever was prevalent, namely,
Badula and Telepaika.-( Laws and Usages of the Kan-
clyam. Appendi:e to Bertolacci..s Work on the Oommercial
Intere,ts of Oeylon.)
The most severe of the secondary punishments of
females, was to be delivered to the Rodias, the lowest
caste in Ceylon. When the king heard of the treason of
Eheylapola, and of his having taken refuge in the mari-
time provinces, he ordered the wives and daughters of the
palanquin-bearers of the adikar who had accompanied
their chief to the coast, to be delivered to the Rodias of
Saffragam for defilement ; but they refused to have any
connection with them, observing, at the same time, that
it was not their custom to have any intercourse with
females under such circumstances, unless they were of
a much higher caste than the wives of palanquin~bearers.
Knox describes the delivering up of the wives and
daughters of delinquents to be defiled by Rodias as " a
far worse punishment than any kind of death.' '
The mode of administering justice was, apparently,
very simple. In an ordinary dispute about land, which
was the most common subject of litigation, the dispu-
tants usually commenced by referring the point in dis-
pute to the arbitration of their neighbours : if dissatisfied
PROPORTION OF HORTALl'lT, 41
with their decision, the cause might be carried be(ore

the coral of the village or district, and from him to the
mohotals : if still dissatisfied, they might apply to the
dissave, and after him to the adikar, and even to the
king. Much of the time of a dissave was spent in ad-
ministering justice ; oo usually sat in a pandal, some-
times in an.amblum, or rest-house, and was treated with
the greatest reverence by the subordinate headmen and
people. The amblum, when not employed as a court-
house, served as a resting place for travellers, and where
the men of the village met to retail '1}d hear news, and
chew betel
Degree of UnliealthiMU to European Troops.-The
annual average mortality of the regular infantry corps
of the British army employed in the united kingdom,
has been ~ertained to amount to about 15 per 1000;
and, as the age of the great bulk of the men of the
army, both at home and abroad, is comprehended be-
tween 20 and 40 years, the difference of mortality which
occurs among troops in a colony or dependency, from
that which takes place at home, may be considered a.
measure of the salubrity of a climate, together with the
inseparable contingencies of military life in a particular
colony.
The following table will show the strength of the 19th
Regiment, together with the number of deaths, the pro-
portion of deaths per 1~00 of the mean strength, and
the stations in Ceylon where the corps was employed,
from 1796 till 1819 inclusive, being a period of twenty
four years :-
42 PROPOBl'ION OF HORTALITY.
Tan.
1796.
------
1035
Datbl.
20
~
per 1000.
19
Wbere employed.
At sea, Cape of
Good Hope, and
Colombo, Ceylon.
1797. 1030 46 44 Colombo.
1798. 1002 26 25 Colombo.
1799. 941 90 95 Colombo ; 5 com-
paniee on service
in India.
1800. 882 72 81 Trincomalee.
1801. 854 39 46 Trincomalee.
1802. 905 46 50 Trincomalee.
1803. 843 338 400 Kandy and Trinco-
malee.
1804. 642 128 199 Trincomalee.
1805. 528 44 83 Trinoomalee.
1806. 451 12 26 Colombo.
1807. 793 20 25 .Colombo.
1808. 828 17 20 Colombo.
1809. 796 45 56 Peninsula oflndi-.
1810. 776 39 50 Colombo.
1811. 729 17 23 Colombo.
181.11. 785 14 17 Colombo.
1813, 938 20 21 Colombo.
1814. 910 67 73 Trincomalee.
1815. 1142 114 99 Trincomalee.
1816. 1019 38 37 Trinoomalee.
1817. 930 91 97 Trincomalee.
1818. 748 114 152 Kandyan provincea.
1819. 698 41 68 Kandyan provinces
and Galle.
Total, . 20,105 1498
Average, 837 63 76
Thua it appears that the mean annual mortality

per 1000, in the 19th Regiment, for the time speci-
fied, was - 76
The annual average of men invalided was 27
Total annual decrement per 1000, 103
P.ROP0BT10N OF IIORTALITY. 43
The obiefpart of the elementary materials from which

this Table is constructed was obtained from Captain
Hawker, when he was adjutant to the 19th Regiment.
In 1820, the regiment returned to England.
The following Table will show the !Ldmissions iato
hospital, and deaths among the European troops serving
in Ceylon for a period of twenty years :-
Mean Dea&h1 Batto per 1000 of

Strength Admllllona per Hean Strength.
T- per lot.o
War Office Hoepltal. lledleal
Remma. Return&. Admitted. Died,
1817. 1994 3027 145

----
1518
--
73
1818. 2863 8288 625 2895 218
1819. 2593 6128 328 2419 129
1820. 2703 4850 113 1794 42
1821. 2490 3655 106 1467 43
1822. 2156 3095 152 1436 71
1823. 2000 2577 101 1288 50
1824. 1812 3564 278 1967 151
1825. 1448 3367 132 2325 91
1826. 1854 3079 64 1661 35
1827. 2101 3569 95 1669 45
1828. 2153 3561 74 1654 34
1829. 2279 3562 108 1563 47
1830. 2192 3148 89 1436 41
1831. 2186 3123 78 1429 36
1832. 2056 3009 198 1464 96
1833. 2002 2434 60 1216 30
1834. 2060 2723 77 1322 37
1835, 2005 2466 1)1 USO !)5
1836. ll089 2875 71 1376 34
42,978 72,100 3000

---- ~
Total,
---, _
Average, lll49 150 1,678 69,8
By this Table, it appears that, on an average, every

man was admitted into hospital in about seven months,
. Digitized by Goog Ie
PROPORTION OF HORTALITY.
being in the proportion of nearly two to one in this

country. The annual average mortality in hospital per
1000 is 69 8-IOths; but as the deaths which occurred
out of hospital during the above period amounted to 217,
the t.otal mortality has been 75 per 1000, or five times
that of troops serving in the united kingdom.
In perusing the foregoing Tables, the reader will re-
collect that the English were at war with the Kandyans
in 1803 and 1818, in which years the mortality of the
troops was greatly increased.
The prevailing' diseases in Ceylon, both among emi-
grants from Europe and the indigenous inhabitants of the
island, are endemic fever, bowel complaints, and di$8ases
of the liver.
. DigitizedbyGoogle
'

HI ST OR IC AL SK E T CH, &c.
CEYLON 'tVas discovered by the Portuguese in 15051

and in 1517 they established a small trading settlement
at Colombo, by permission of the reigning king, DhA.rma
Praakramabahoo IX., who then resided at Cotta, a few
miles from the pi:esent capital of the island. In 1520,
they laid the foundation of a fort, a measure which was
strongly opposed by some of the native chiefs, but with-
out success. For a short time the Portuguese restrioted
themselves to commeroial pursuits ; but, having strongly
fortified themselves at Colombo, they oo~menced to
make a c01tquest of the island by hostile measures, and
intolerable rapacity. The natives retaliated, and for a
time put to death every European who fell into their
hands. An army of 20,000 men assembled to besiege
Colombo, and for five months the fort was strictly in
vested, and the garrison suffered severely for want of pro-
visions. A reinforcement having arrived from Cochin,
the governor of the fort made a sortie with 3000 men,
when the native army was put to flight. A treaty having
been concluded, hostilities ceased for a short period.
Praakramabahoo died in 1527, and was succeeded on
the throne by his brother Wijayabahoo VII. This
D1g1tized by Google
46 , HISTORICAL !KETCH,
king having been opposed by three sons in his intention

of naming a grandson as his successor, he resolved to
strengthen his situation by forming an alliance with the
Portuguese. The allies were soon called upon to sup
press a rebellion of the king's subjects. From this time
the Portuguese. were hardly ever at peace during the
whole period they held power in Ceylon. It is not the
object of the writer to enter into the details of this pro
tracted warfare, a brief summary being presumed to be
all that is required.
Such was the state of affairs between the two powers
about the year 1590, that the Portuguese occupied the
town of Kandy, while Rajah Singha I., the king of
Ceylon, was besieging Colombo. The Portuguese with-
in the fQrt were hard pressed. A Ceylonese army, under
the command of a native ally of the Europeans, came to
their relief, and the siege was raised. Rajah Singha
died in 1592.
Wimala Dlwrma succeeded to the throne. This prince
is usually denominated Don John by the Portuguese
historians. When very young, he was a refugee among
the Portuguese ; and, having assumed the character of a
Christian, was baptized under that title. The Portu-
guese did not approve of his assuming kingly author-
ity in Kandy, but they bad not the power at the time to
prevent that event. Reinforcements were, however,
soon after received from Goa, under the command of a
General named De Souza. On reaching Ceylon, he lost
no time in advancing against Don John, now the Kan-
dyan monarch, taking with him Catherina, a candidate
for the throne of Kandy. During his march, he was
joined by a native chief with 20,000 men. In conse
quence of a stratagem instituted by the king, De Souza
suspected the fidelity of this chief, and with his own
PORTUGUESE PERIOD. 47
hand plunged a dagger into his breast. The Portuguese,
who continued to advance, were attacked by the king's
army in the Balany Pass, and every man was killed. Of
that powerful army, not a living being was saved but
Donna Catherina, who eventually became the wife of
Wimala Dharma.
Shortly after this defeat, another attempt was made
by the Portuguese to reduce the island. Don Jerome
de Azevedo was placed at the head of this new expe
dition, and, with the most sanguine hopes of success,
proceeded to carry the wishes of government into eff'ect.
He met the Kandyan or native forces in the Pass of
Balany. The Portuguese attacked the enemy with
fury, being confident of victory from their superior dis-
cipline, and more efficient arms. The battle was, for a
long time, maintained with equal valour on both sides.
The Europeans fought with desperate obstinacy, insti-
gated by honour and despair. At length, numbers, per-
severance, and resolution, conquered, and the native
forces remained masters of the field. Azevedo, who
displayed great talents, and the most determined bravery
in assailing the enemy, showed equal ability in conduct-
ing a retreat. Having collected the relics of his army,
he marched for the sea-coast, his little band being ha-
rassed by the enemy for five tedious days before they
reached the nearest place of safety, which was the fort
of Colombo.
A revolted chief having been, about this time, taken
by the Portuguese, was put to death, notwithstanding
the most solemn assurances given to him that his life
would be spared. The execution of this man was the
prelude for fearful retaliation on the part of the king,
and numbers of the Portuguese were, soon after, hor-
ribly mutilated in Kandy, and sent to Colombo. .
HISTORICAL BKETOB,
The Portuguese now resolved to endeavour to assas~

sinate the king, and five assassins were hired by Aze-
vedo himself for that purpose ; but they were themselves
slain in the Balany Pass, the sovereign having had notice
of their intention.
We in vain expect to see any trace of the humanizing
influence of civilization and Christiq,nity in the conduct
of.the Portuguese. To all the faithlessness and cruelty
of the Kandyans, they added the aggressive rapacity of
robbers. It is curious to observe, in the history of na-
tions, with how slow a progress humane and benevolent
feelings make their way in a population. This is re-
markable, not only in Asia, or in a low grade of civiliza-
tion, but also in better civilized societies, and where
Christianity has been the professed religion for many
centuries.
On the 29th March 1602, Admiral Spilbergen, a
Dutch naval commander, anchored in the mouth of a
river near to Batticallo, and immediately opened a
co1Tespondence with a native chief of that part of the
island. Spilbergen having got orders, on sailing, from
the Prince of Orange, to conclude an offensive and de-
fensive alliance with the Kandyan government, deter-
mined to proceed t.o Kandy, and t.o treat with the king
in person. On the 6th July, he accordingly set out for
Kandy, and was treated, during the whole journey, with
peculiar marks of honour and respect. He was kindly
received, and nobly entertained by the king, who dis-
pensed with the ceremonies usually practised on such
occasions by the Kandyan court. Nothing could e1:ceed
the familiarity and kindness of the king to his new
guest. The admiral obtained permission for the Dutch
to build a fort on the sea-shore, and a free trade in cin-
namo~ and pepper was also yielded, Having rejoined his
squadron, the admiral sailed from Battieallo on the 6Ui

Sept.ember. He soon aft.er captured three Portnguese
veBSels, which l?e present.ed to the king.
Sibald de W eerd, another Dutch commander, arrived
soon aft.er, and proceeded at once to Kandy, where be
was received by the king in the most frank and amicable
manner. He left l:eylon for Achin, and on returning
to Battieallo, the king hast.ened to meet him. The
admiral having got drunk, behaved very uncourt.eously to
the sovereign, who, being offended, ordered bis att.end-
ants to " bind that dog ! " A struggle ensued, and De
W eerd was killed.
Wimala Dharma died in 1604:, leaving two sons, nei-
ther of whom was, as yet, equal to maintaining his own
rights. A brother of the lat.e king, by name Senerat,
suooeeded to the throne, and married Catharina, bis
brother's widow.
In 1612, Marcellus de Bosohbouder arrived at Kandy,
where a treaty was once more ent.ered into between the
Dutch and the Ceylonese monarch. By this-treaty, the
Dutch obtained the king's permission to erect a fort at
Cottiar, near Trineomalee, and an exclusive right to the
trade of Ceylon. The Portuguese were much displeased
with the construction of this fort, which was garrisoned
by a company of soldiers brought by Bosehhouder.
They resolved to reduce it ; and, during the same year,
l OOO Portuguese and 3000 Indians, under the command
of Simon Correa, a distinguished soldier, proceeded from
their possessions for that purpose. The fort being
quickly taken, every one of its inhabitants was put to
the sword. To revenge the injury sustained by the
Dutch, Seaerat despatched a body of 5000 men, who fell
upon the Portuguese before they reached their own ter-
ritory, aud complet.ely rout.ed them, having, according
C
50 HISTORICAL SUTCH.
to Ribeyro, killed 600, and taken a great number pri-

soners,
Senerat, wishing to expel the Portugu~se from Ceylon,
adopted the unprecedented policy of sending his favour-
ite, Boechhouder, to Holland to solicit succours which
W81'8 not to be found in India. The mission proved
unsuccessful, and Boschhouder died en the passage from
Europe to Ceylon.
In the year 1623, according to Ribeyro, Constantine
de Saa and N oronha arrived at Colombo, having been
appointed captain-general of the island a second time.
One of the first acts of his government was, to proceed
to Trincomalee, where he directed a fort to be built, and
soon after he wo ordered & place of strength to be con-
structed at Batticallo. The constructing a.nd garrison-
ing of these forts gave offence to the king, who foresaw
that he would thereby be prevented from exporting the
produce of his country. 'l'he hostile feeling which had
long existed between the two powers became greatly in-
creased, and active warfare commenced by a.n inroad of
the Kandyans into the maritime, or Portuguese terri-
tory. De Saa took the field with his troops, and having
defeated the opposition made to him on his march,
reached the town of Kandy, which he burned to the
ground. He had, during his march, burned and de,
stroyed every thing which came within the reach of his
army : the cattle were slaughtered ; the houses were
burnt; and all the barbarities of war usually adopted
by a savage people, were put in practice to a fearful ex-
tent. The king ffed to U wa, to which province he na .
followed by De Saa, who put every thing to fire and
sword, but failed in bis object of capturing the king.
A barbarous and bloody war continued to be waged for
some time, until, apparently, both parties bad become
Digitized by Goog Ie ,
I
POBTtl'GUESE PERIOD. 51
tired of it, and a temporary ceuation of hostilities took
place.
Such W'&II the situation of event.a when Constantine
de Saa was directed by the Viceroy of India to recom-
mence a war of aggression, for the purpose of subjugat-
ing the whole islaod-a measure for the attainment of
which he was by n~means adequately provided. Having
with great difficulty assembled an army of about 1500
Portuguese, and 20,000 natives, he marched, in August
1630, into the interior. He commenced hostilities by
burning the chief town of the province of U wa, and
was soon after met by a large army at W ellawa.ya,
under the command of Rajah Singha,-a son of the
king by Catharina,-then only seventeen years of age,
and of his two half-brothers, sons of Wimala Dharma.
A combat was anticipated, and the Portuguese passed
the night in religious devotion, whilst De Saa went
from rank to rank, exhorting them to remember their
former valour, and the weighty consequences which hung
on the approaching conflict. " Before," said he, " you
have battled for glory ; now you must fight for your
lives! " On the morrow the battle began with desperate
fury on both JJides. A defection took place of a great
number of De Saa's native auxiliaries. The Europeans
fought like men in despair, and, in this manner, the
combat continued until interrupted by the darkness of
night. Torrents of rain prevented repose, and rendered
their fire.arms inefficient. Next day, the battle was
resumed, and Constantine de Saa and every one of his
army were killed on the fi.eld.
The young princes followed up their victory : they
besieged and took some forts which the Portuguese had
constructed on the Maha Villa Ganga, near to Kandy ;
invaded the Four Corles; and laid siege to Colombo.
52 HISTORICAL SDTCH;
Assault after auault was bravely made, and as bravely

repulsed. At one time, e!ery hope seemed lost to the
besieged, and it was only by the resolute valour of the
burghers and slaves that the fort was preserved. After
the garrison had suffered severely from want of provi-
sions, reinforcements arrived to the Portuguese, and
the siege was raised.
Senerat died in 1634, and was succeeded by a princely
triumvirate, each of whom had a separate command.
Rajah Singha, the youngest of the three brothers, was
not long i~ assuming the sovereignty of the island, nor
did he delay in maintaining his assumption by force of
arms. One of the brothers took refuge among the Por-
tuguese ; the other brother died ; and Rajah Singha II.,
sometimes called " the Great," reigned paramount.
During an unsettled condition of the country, from a
disputed succession, the Portuguese, hoping to extend
their power and their conquests, despatched an army to
the interior, under the command of Diego de Melo and
Damien . Botta.do. The army, according to Valentyn,
consisted of 2300 whites and half-castes, and 6000
Indians; but, according to another authority, the force
was composed of 700 Europeans and 28.,000 Indians.
Having reached the capital, and satiated their avarice
and their cruelty, they commenced a retreat. Rajah
Singha had, in the interim, adopted means to obstruct
their progress, by barricading the Balany, and the other
passes to Co_lombo. The king sent an embassy to De
Melo, demanding of him, whether Ai, religion taught Aim
to a<hance into the territorie, of one who wa, at peace
with /aim ? and solemnly in'OOleing the curse of that God
whom he (De Melo) profe11ea to adore, on the party which
wa, cu11,able. The Portuguese were surrounded and
attacked on every side with arrows and spears ; and
'
being deserted by a great number of their native

auxiliaries, could make no impression upon their ene-
mies. Seeing no chance of .escape, they sent a Fran-
ciscan and Augustinian monk to the king, to endeavour
to negotiate a peace, on the condition that they might
be permitted to return to Colombo free from further
molestation, but without success. Rajah Singha would
enter into no terms with them for that purpose. The
combat is said to have lasted a night and a day. By
one authority, seventy Europeans, and by another,
thirty-three ouly were left alive, and they were made
prisoners.
The longcontinued hostilities between the Portuguese
and the Kandyans was a desperate and bloody struggle
between two races, who vied with one another in the
barbarity of their warfare. The weaker and less civil-
ized party made up by cunning for the indiscriminating
atrocities of the stronger, who had, with occasional in-
termissions, for nearly a century, been inflicting upon
the Kandyans all the horrors and atrocities of war, un-
controlled by the conventional checks imposed upon
it when carried on between European nations. Indis-
criminate slaughter appears to have been as much the
object of the Portuguese as that of the invaded Kan
dyans.
Rajah Singh& perceiving the difficulty that be would
have to expel the Portuguese from Ceylon, resolved to
send an embassy to a Dutch settlement in India, re-
questing assistance for the purpose of driving them from
the island. In pursuance of this design, be sent a long
letter, dated September 9th, 1636, to the Dutch governor
of PaUacatta. A Brahmin, who was the bearer of this .
letter, was for six months detained at Jaft'na before be
could meet with a safe opportunity of proceeding to the
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
coast of CoromandeL On receipt of Rajah Singha'11

letter, the governor of Paliaeatta forwarded it to Batavia
to " the Great Council of the Indies." Envoys were
forthwith despatched to Kandy, and, eventually, a treaty
of alliance was entered into between the Dutch and the
Ceylonese monarch. According to the stipulationa of
this treaty, the Dutch were to furnish troops to assist
in the expulsion of the Portuguese, the king being to
pay all the expenses of the war. The king was to be
placed in possession of the fortified places which might
be taken from the Portuguese, and the Dutch were to
have the entire monopoly of the trade of the island.
Previously to signing the treaty, the king stated to the
Dutch deputies the condition in which he stood with the
Portuguese local government at Colombo. He informed
them that, although he adopted every means in bis power
to preae"e peace with his neighbours, and paid. with
the utmost regularity, the tribute to the crown of Por-
tugal, to which bis father had submitted, his pacific in-
tentions were frequently defeated. Owing to the caprices
of the governors, there was no security in treating with
them. Upon the most trifling occasion, they marched an
army into bis territory, pillaged the country, and burnt
the villages. Within a few years they had reduced to ashes
the principal town of the province of U wa, together with
Kandy, the capital of the kingdom. He represented,
that although he bad repeatedly defeated them in the
field, they were always ready for war, by which mean11
he saw that, in a short time, he should not have an inch
of territory in the island ; and, on that account, he bad
come to the resolution to enter into terms of amity with
the Dutch, and to make snch stipulations with them as
might lead to their reciprocal advantage.
The deputies replied by stating, that they were well
'
PORTUGUESE PERIOD, 55
aware of the oppressive disposition of the Portuguese ;
that similar complaints were made of their tyranny in
the peninsula of India, and in the other Eastern coun-
tries where they bad formed colonies ; that it was to
liberate the inhabitants of these countries from the op-
pression under which they suffered that the Dutch bad
come so far from their own country ; that the Portu-
I
guese bad no right to any part of the island of Ceylon; and
that the Dutch East India Company were able and
willing to expel them from the island without exacting
any remuneration for their services.
The king promised that, in addition to the expenses of
the armament, he would pay a cert.ain sum for each
officer or soldier who died in the service, according to the
rank he held in the army ; that another sum should
be given for every man who lost an arm, a leg, or an
eye, and that the sum should be somewhat higher for a
right eye, a right leg, or a right arm, than for a left
eye, leg, or arm. The treaty having been regularly
sigued, the Dutch deputies left Ceylon.- ( Ribeyro,
HutoirB d6 l' I,k dB Oey'4n, p. ~22.)
In compliance with the treaty in question, Batticallo
was attacked in 1639, and soon taken by Admiral
Westerwold, who commanded a force of 600 men, with
six pieces of cannon. Trincomalee was next invested ;
and although the garrison consisted of only 50 men, it
did not capitulate until twenty-three of their number
had been killed. Before the other places of strength sur,
rendered, the struggle was long and bloody. Negombo
and Galle fell into the hands of the Dutch in 1640.
Negombo was a second time taken in 1644. Caltura
fell in 1655.
A temporary pacification took place between the
Dutch and Portuguese in 1646, during which the Dutch
56 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
authorities at Negombo carried off some tame elephants

'!Mllonging to the King of Kandy, who wu so araged at
the circumstance, that he surrounded a body of their
troops in the Seven Corles, and after slaying the com-
mander, Adrian Vander Stell, cut off his head, and sent
it in a silk bag to bis countrymen on the sea coast, or-
dering, at the same time, 688 Dutchmen into captivity
in the Kandyan country. . The Dutch exerted all their
address to effect a reconciliation with the king, who, it
would appear, already hesitated between the policy of
uniting his influence with his former enemies or his
recently acquired friends, '6ut in the end the Dutch
prevailed.
Colombo capitulated in 1656, having been besieged
for seven months by the forces of Rajah Singha, consist-
ing of about 20,000 men, and the Dutch troops. The
King of Kandy resided in the neighbourhood of Colombo
du.ring the siege ; and when the fort surrendered, he ex-
pected that it would be delivered into hie hands, accord-
ing to the stipulations of the treaty entered into by
the Dutch, but they retained it in their own poesession.
When Colombo capitulated, the garrison, consisting
of 90 soldiers, who, with 100 armed inhabitants, were
conTeyed to N egapatnam, on the peninsula of India,
"then in poeseesion of the Portuguese ; but, half sick and
half starved as they were," they were soon after prevail-
ed upon to reinforce J affnapatam, although they were
well aware that the Dutch would before long besiege
that garrison. We learn from Baldeus, that Rajah
Singha " stiffly " urged the surrender of Negombo and
Colombo into his hands by virtue of the treaty between
him and the Dutch, but without success. The king thus
concludes one of hie letters to the Dutch Captain-Gen-
eral of the Island :-" / would Aa1'6 you remember, tAat
Goog Ie
Digitized by
(
DUTCH PERIOrl.
,ucA a, know not God, and do not keep tAeir word, tcill,
OM time or ot"6r, be ,ffllibu of CM iU comequence, there
of: I know I M1'e God on my ,ide," Rajah Singht. per
ceiving that the Dutch had no intention to fulfil the
treaty, withdrew his support from them, and in au
under-hand manner rather encouraged than repulsed the
Portuguese. lie was obviously doubtful which party
was the most perfidious, as neither fulfilled the most so-
lemn treaties, even although confirmed, according to the
usage of the age, by oath.
Jaftnapatam, the last of the forts occupied by the Por-
tuguese, was besieged and taken by the Dutch in 1658.
When it capitulated, a considerable number of soldiers
laid down their arms, although during the siege, which
lasted three months and a half, they had lost nearly one
thousand six hundred men by the sword and disease.
Baldeus preaobed a thanksgiving sermon on the occa-
sion, the text being Exod. i:vii. 15.
A large portion of the troops employed in reducing
Jaffiiapatam having been detached to besiege Negapat
narn, on the Coromandel coast, the garrison chiefly con-
sisted of Portuguese volunteers, although there were a
considerable number of prisoners in the castle. The
Portuguese volunteers and prisoners, together with some
of the natives, "not without the consent of Rajah
Singha," formed a plot to put to death a.11 the officers iu
the castle, during divine service. The guard were next to
be attacked, by which means they hoped to make them-
selves master of the castle. The conspiracy was discovereJ
by accident, and not long after, most of the conspirator:t
having confessed their crimes, some were condemned to
be hanged, others to be beheaded. The three chief con-
spirators were laid upon the wheel; and after they had
received a stroke with the axe on the neck, and on the
c2
58 HISTORICAL SKETCH,
breast, bad their entrails taken out, and the heart laid
qpon the mouth. A thanksgiving sermon was preached
on this occasion, "out of the book of Esther, chapter
ix. 2{1-24."
When the Portuguese arrived in India, they found the
trade in the hands of the Arabians, from whom they
gradually wrested it by their naval superiority. Not
content with acquiring the ascendancy at sea, they soon
endeavoured to become masters of the land. For this
purpose they bad recourse both to fraud and violence.
Having obtained permission to erect warehouses at the
seaports on the coast, these warehouses were, under the
pretext of securing them against the incursions of
robbers and pirates, soon converted into castles and for-
tre88es. By sowing dissensions among the neighbour-
ing chiefs, and professing to help the injured against the
aggressor, they eventually obtained possession of many
In 1659, or one year afier the Dntch had completed the con-
quest of the maritime provinces, Captain Robert Knox, his son, lllld
several of the crew of the .Ann frigate, were taken prisoners a&
Batticallo, and removed to Kandy or its neighbourhood, where
they were kept prisoners. The younger Knox and another pri-
aoner made their escape in 1679, ha-ring reachedAripo October
18th. Oaptain Knox and most of the others had died before
the prieonel'B let\ Kandy. Mr Knox was kindly rec~ved at
Colombo by the Dutch governor, Byklof Van Goens. In 1681, he
published his excellent " Historical Relation of the Ialand of
Ceylon, &c.," a book which dcservcs the highe~t commendation.
We are indebted to Knox for the only full account which has been
publish~ of that extraordinary man, Rajah Singha Il., who died
in 1684 or 1687, afier a reign of upwards of 50 years. Knox's
work was translated into the French language, and published at
.Amsterdam, as early as 1693. In 1819, Mr Sawers and the
writer of this sketch paid a visit to Mr Knox's "piece of land,''
which, he tells us, "lay about ten miles to the southward of the city
of Kandy, in the county of Udda N eur, near to the town of Elledat."
We thought we discovered the place where his house stood. There
ia a tradition among the inhabitants of Udda Nenr, that a white
man once lived at Elleda&, and that he was much respected by his
neighbours.
o,,ow,Google I
i
DUTCH PERIOD.
important points. The King of Portugal monopolized

in India the trade in cinnamon, pepper, and other
precious commodities, while he left. the commerce of the
less valuable articles in the hands of his subjects. The
desire of dominion increased with their means ; but the
population of Portugal was unable to furnish the re-
quisite number of troops, and to recruit establishments.
In order to supply the deficiency, they had recourse to
two expedients, namely, marriage with the native women,
and the conversion of the natives to the Roman Catholic
faith. These expedients proved bnt a feeble support to
a power founded on injustice. In their allies, the chiefs
of the interior, whom they had by turns cheated and
oppressed, the Portuguese could repose no confidence,
these chiefs being ever ready to practise the lessons of
perfidy which they had learned from the example of the
Europeans themselves. By successive alienations, the
Portuguese lost their dominion on the coast of Canara
in Persia, Muscat, Japan, &c. In Ceylon they main-
tained, as we have seen, a long and desperate conflict ;
and, for a considerable time, delayed the overthrow of
their pewer.
After the Dutch had succeeded in rendering the forti-
fications tolerably complete, they began to push their
posts farther and farther into the interior of the i,land,
and to seize upon every spot which appeared adapted for
their purpose. They also increased their demands on the
king for the protection they afforded him as guardiam of
Tai, coa,t,. Eventnally the king fell suddenly upon their
settlements, and committed great devastation. A long
course of hostilities followed, without any lasting advan-
tage to either party. Peace was never long-continued
or securebetween the governor on the coast and the king
on the hills. The renew~ incursions of the Dutch na:-
60 BISTORIC.U. SUTCH.
turally led to a commencement of hostilities by the king.

He was twice driven from bis capital, and forced to seek
refuge in the mountainous district of Digliggy, which
was supposed to be the most impenetrable in bis king-
dom. Encouraged by dissensions among the Kandyan
chiefs, the Dutch took the field in 1763, with an army of
8000 men, composed of Europeans, Sepoys, and Mal&ys,
and made themselves masters of Kandy and the adjoin-
ing districts of Matele, Doombera, and Walapanne. For
about nine months, they maintained a garrison in Kandy ;
but, in consequence of the vigilant hostility of the enemy,
who intercepted their convoys and communications from
the sea-coast, they were obliged to abandon their posi-
tion, and to retreat to Colombo. After having suffered
extreme privations, their provisions being nearly ex-
hausted, and all communication with their settlements
on the coast cut off for three months, the officer on whom
the command bad devolved, (Major Frankana,) a brave
and experienced soldier, called a council of war, in which
it was finally resolved, after much discussion, to endea-
vour to force their ny to Colombo, as the only means
of saving the wreck of the army from certain death. A
In 1729, a very remarkable circumstance occurred, which is,

I believe, unique in colonial policy. Petrus Vuyst, while governor
of the maritime provinces of Ceylon, made an attempt to render
hilneelf an independent sovereign ; and, in the prosecution of his
plan, it is alleged he had recourse to the most atrociollB cruelties.
Having been arrested and sent to Batavia, he was sentenced to be
broken alive upon the wheel, his body to be quartered, and those
quarters to be burned upon a pile of wood, and his ashes collected
and thrown into the sea. This mode of punishing criminals appears
to be extremely barbaroUB, but it is not so much so as the vivisec-
tion and heart-roasting atrocities practised in this country on like
occasions, even as late as 17 46. Savage as the punishments of
oriental barbarians may be, they are less revolting and atrocious
than some of the punishments practised by civilized nations who
profess to have embraced Christianity.
I
l
DUTCH PEBIOD. 61
retreat was forthwith commenced, during which the sick,
and those who were unable to keep up with the main
body of the troops, were killed by the natives. At
Sittavacca, another name for Aviaahavile, only two
days' march from Colombo, 400 of their soldiers were
overpowered and put to death. The few su"ivors at
length reached Colombo, exhausted with hunger and
fatigue.
The barbarities practilled both by the Dutch and the
Kandyans naturally entailed upon each an amount of
mifering that one might be disposed to think was well
dese"ed ; but the Ravage of civilization had leu excuse
than the savage of nature, who resisted aggreuion with
all the vindictiveness which a sense of injury urges him
to use, but which. Christianity has not taught him to
moderate.
The war was continued by a new governor, (Van Eck,)
who succeeded in repulsing the Kandyans ; and, by
h&ra88ing and driving them to the mountains and forests,
prevented them from cultivating their :6elds for some
time. The Kandyan diBS&ves, it is alleged, were on the
point of delivering up their king, upon condition that
each should be left an independent sovereign in his own
province, when governor Van Eck died. On the arrival
of his successor, Governor Falck, negotiations with the
court of Kandy were set on foot with success, and a peace
was concluded on the 14th February 1766 by a treaty
of which, although it was very favourable to the Dutch,
they refused to fulfil some of the articles. Governor
Fal.ck considered it would be dangerous, if not im-
practicable, at that time to occupy the interior of the
island, the productions of which could be purchased
cheaper from the Kandyans themselves, than collected
by the Dutch government, even when in possession of

the country.
In the wars of the Dutch with the Kandyans, it i1
alleged that the former treated their priaouers, of what-
ever rank or age, with the harshest rigour, and heaped
upon them every mark of degradation which the most
ingenious cruelty could furnish, or the most brutal bar
barity inflict. The rapacity of the Dutch gave birth to
a succeSBion of petty wars, in which, though the Euro-
peans were generally successful, the Kandyans were not
subdued. Even in times of peace, it does not appear
that there was ever much intercourse between the sub-
jects of the two powers. The recollection of the grasp-
ing policy of thE! Portuguese, and the selfish conduct of
the Dutch, induced the kings of Ka,pdy to forbid their
subjects to have any intercourse with Europeans of what-
ever nation ; and they instructed them to hold in eternal
abhorrence a race of people which, as appeared to them,
no ties of honour could bind, and against whose treachery
no prudence could guard.-( Prefac6 to tAs Mucellan60tU
Work, of HugA Boyd, E,q.)
During the year 1763, the Madras government des-
patched Mr Pybus as ambassador to Kirti Sri Rajah
Singha, king of Kandy, with instructions to assure the
king of the friendahip of the English, now the most potent
power of the East, and to offer him ample succours to
snpport a war with the Dutch. His reception is said
to hare been as favourable as could be expected, the
ministers having declared that they would be happy to.
enter into terms of mutual friendship and alliance with
the English government. It is difficult to conjecture
what might have been the intentions of our councils at
that time p but, to the surprise of 'the Kau.dyans, the-
DUTCH PERIOD, 63
negotiations were not followed up by the Madras govern-
ment. On the glaring want of good faith and the im-
policy of this embassy, at a period when England and
Holland were not only at perfect peace, but in strict
alliance, no comment is necessary. The impolitic em
bassy in question, together with the representations of
the Dutch, deservedly gave the court of Kandy a very
unfavourable impression of the sincerity and good faith
of the English,
Hostilities having been declared between Holland and
England, during the war of independence of the United
States of America, Lord Macartney,govemor of Madras,
resolved to add Ceylon to the list of conquests. For this
purpose, Admiral Hughes sailed from the Coromandel
coast on the 2d January 1782, and by the 11th of the
same month, the English flag was planted on Trincomalee, .
the Dutch having made but a feeble resistance, The
troops employed on this occasion were commanded by
Sir Hector Munro. Mr Boyd, who had been deputed
by his excellency Lord Macartney to the coarf. of Kandy,
left Trincomalee soon after it surrendered, and proceeded
on his route to Kandy. The object of Mr Boyd's mis-
sion was to do away with the odium which had, from
various causes, been affixed to our character, and also to
announce to the king of Kandy that we were at war with
the implacable enemy and incessant disturber of his
country, and to endeavour to obtain his friendly dis
position, if not his active aid, in our intended attack on
the Dutch territories in Ceylon. The king being un-
willing to become our ally on this occasion, for a time
interdicted any communication between his subjects and
us at Trincomalee.
The Kandyan ministers declared, however, to Mr
Boyd, that they were extremely happy to- receive the
BISTOJUOAL SKETOB,
friendly off'en of the . Madras government, and that it

was their anxious desire to establish such a connection
with the British power as he had proposed ; but, in order
to render the alliance sufficiently fair and respectable in
the eyes of his Kandyan majesty, it was necessary to
obtain the approval of the king of Great Britain. Mr
Boyd having remonstrated with the Kandyan chiefs con-
cerning the inconvenience and inutility of delaying so
long as was necessary to receive the king's sanction, they
replied by detailing the particulan of Mr Pybus' nego-
tiation with them about twenty years before, and com-.
plained of its having had no practical result in their
favour. They stated that Mr Pybus had been deputed
to the court of Kandy with offen of friendship, which
had been answered by them in an amicable manner ;
but that, on his return to Madras, the business, instead
of being proceeded with effectually, as they expected,
seemed to have been entirely dropped, and from that
time to this they had never heard a syllable on the sub-
ject ; that thts departure from a negotiation so favour-
ably begun, had greatly surprised and disappointed them,
especially as they were on the eve of a rupture with the
Dutch ; that when that rupture took place, they were
obliged to support the war themselves, without any
assistance or even communicl!-tion from Madras ; but
that now, when a rupture had happened between 116
Dutch and w, the communication was renewed ;-that
these circumstances could not but induce them to think
that our attention to their intere,t was got,6med only by
adl,wen.ce to our own ; that although the king was ex-
tremely happy in the friendly offen which had been
made to him, he must adhere to his former resolution,
namely, that the proposal should come to him directly
from the king of Eng~d.
Digitized by GoogIe
J
DUTCH PERIOD. 65
At this time, it will be recollected, that the Eaglisb

had not a high character for good faith on the penineula
of India; and, conaeqoently, at the court of Kandy. A
treaty of peace had been negotiated by the goyerum.ent
of Fort St George, (M.dras,) with H7der Ali, whichwas
not 1Mll bpt b7 the English. Hyder Ali is said to have
declared that peace with the English was indifferent to
him, since they had shown themselves totally unworthy
of confidence. This able man, who bas been styled the
Frederick of the East, died in November 1782.
Mr Boyd's embassy, although unsucceuful in nego-
tiating a treaty of alliance with the king of Kandy, bad
the good effect of pl'OCuring a supply of provisions for
the British troops at Trincomalee.
Sir Edward Hughes retorned to Madras to refit ; the
garrison at Trincomalee being, in the meantime, re-
inforced with 200 men of the 42d regiment, who were
sent from the Coromandel coast, under the convo7 of
two ships of war. Before Admiral Hughes was able to
retorn to Ceylon, Admiral Sutfrein dashed into Trin-
comalee bay, summoned the fort, and in order to procure
a capitulation before the English fleet should arriYe,
offered the moat honourable terms. The garrison sur-
rendered on the 31st August; and on the 2d September,
Admiral Hughes, having on board a new commander
with a body of troops, arrived, and discovered the French
colours flying in the fort. Thus the attempts of the
English to attain possession of Ceylon were at this time
frustrated.
By the treat7 of peaoe concluded between the King of
Kandy and the Dutch in 1766, it was stipulated that the
Kandyans might obtain salt at the Dutch saltpan1 at
prime cost ; and in retum, the court of Kandy agreed
to permit the Dutch to cut cinnamon in the Kand7au
country, or to cause it to be cut and delivered to them

at fixed prices.
In 1791,Governor Van de Graaft'beinginfonnedofhos-
tile preparations making by the Kandyans, prohibited
the supply of salt for their use, thinking that, by depriv-
ing them of so essential a necessary of life, he would re-
duce them to the utmost distress. As a substitute for
salt, it is alleged that the Kandyans had recourse to a
species of potash, which proving unwholesome, they were
OD the point of submitting to any conditions, when the
superior government of Batavia interdicted this cruel
mode of conducting hostilities towards the Kandyans by
Governor Van de Graaft', and recommended conciliatory
measures.
Hostilities between the court of Kandy and the Dutch
seemed impending during the year 1792. Indeed, the
Dutch local government bad made the requisite prepara-
tions to chastise the Kandyana, in consequence of the
court having concluded a treaty of alliance with the
French, the ultimate object being to expel the Dutch
from the island. The supreme government of the Dutch
in India disapproved of the commencement of hostilities,
and the preparations for active warfare were suspended.
About this time, it is alleged that the court of Kandy
assumed a haughty tone towards the Dutch ; so much
so, that they hesitated to send the usual annual embassy
to Kandy, to solicit permission from the king to cut
cinnamon in his territories. In this dilemma, Governor
Van de Graaft' directed a dissave of the Dutch territory to
communicate with Kandy, for the purpose of ascertain-
ing whether, if no embassy was sent from the maritime
province,, the king would allow cinnamon to be peeled
in his territories. The dissave 's letter was dated on the
26th March 1793. On the 12th April following, acom..
'
DUTCH PERIOD. 67
munication waa reeehed from the court of Kandy, in
which it was st&t.ed, that the peeling of cinnamon in the
king's territories was usually allowed when the local
government sent an ambuaador to Kandy, and craved
permission to do so ; and that unless an accredited
agent of that rank was-commissioned t.o Kandy, no per-
mission to cut cinnamon would be granted. The Dutch
were, for various reasons, unwilling to send an ambu-
sador to Kandy at this time. They were afraid that the
king might decline complying with the request of the
local government. Besides, embassies were expensive
and degrading under any circumstances, but more par-
ticularly so, as the Kandyan court insisted upon the
prostration ceremonies being performed by their ambas-
sadors. No embassy was sent to Kandy on this occasion,
nor was any answer returned to the king's letter of the
12th April. The governor was well aware that the
Kandyan court ardently desired to possess a port or two
on the coast, and that nothing less would satisfy it.
In 1794, the French general, Pichegru, conquered
Holland, being favoured by the popular or anti-Orange
party, and the Stadtholder with his family were obliged
to take refuge in England. The United Provinces were
forthwith organised, under the title of the Batavian Re-
public. War with England soon followed, which led to
the capture of the Dutch fleets, and the loss of their
colonies. Ceylon fell very early into the hands of the
English. It is alleged that a letter was despatched from
England to Ceylon, from the fugitive Stadtholder to
Governor Van Angelbeck, the governor of the maritime
. provinces, recommending him to surrender the garrisons
Memorial by Govemor Van de Graaft' to hia succesaor, Gover-

nor Van Angelbeck, dated 16th July 179.
D1g1tized by Google
and forta in poaseuion of the Dutc;h to an English force,

when it should appear on the coast in sufficient strength
to take possession of them; and it was generally believed
that the governor was favourably disposed towards the
interests of the Stadtholder, for whom the island was to
be held by the English.
On the 1st August 1795, a body of troops, consisting
of the 72d regiment, the flank companies of the 71st
and 73d regiments, two battalions of Sepoys, and a de-
tachment of artillery and pioneers, under the command
of Colonel Stewart, arrived at Trincomalee, for the pur-
pose of taking possession of the territories of the Dutch
in Ceylon. The troops were landed at about the dis.
tance of two miles from Fort Frederick. Aa the garri-
son refused to surrender, it became necessary to prepare
to besiege the fort in due form. Accordingly, the troops
broke ground on the evening of the 18th, opened the
batteries on the 23d, and by 12 o'clock on the 26th, a
practicable breach bad been completed. The garrison
was then summoned to surrender, but the terms de-
manded being deemed inadmissible, the firing recom-
menced, and in a few minutes the white flag waa
displayed, the conditions offered having been accepted.
During the siege, a. party of Malay soldiers, armed
with lcreue,, crept out of the garrison, nearly in a. state
of nudity, under the obscurity of night, and advanc-
ing like snakes along the ground, got behind the bat-
teries unobae"ed, and having killed or wounded nearly
every person on duty in the trenches, spiked the guns,
and effected their retreat into the fort. The total num-
ber lcilled during the siege was fifteen ; six officers and
fifty men were wounded.
Fort Ostenburah, a post a.bout three milea from Fort
Frederick, capitulated on the 31st August.

ENGLISH PERIOD, 1796. 69
On the 12th February 1796, Colonel Stewart landed
a body of troops from a fleet which was at anchor off
N egombo, and marched towards Colombo. The passage
of the Mutwal river (Kalani Ganga) was disputed by a
corps of Malaya, but they were repulsed with little loss
on our side. Colombo made no resistance, and capitu-
lated on the 15th. Thus fell, ingloriously, the Dutch
power in Ceylon.
Previously to the arrival of the British troops on the
west coast of Ceylon, the garrison of Colombo had been
considerably weakened by the loss of the Swiss regiment
of De Meuron, a corps of mercenaries which had, for a
long time, composed part of it. The term of its agree-
ment with the Dutch having expired, and Colonel de
Meuron having transferred its services to our govern-
ment in India, the military force on the island was,
consequently, so far reduced; but the chief cause of the
liasty surrender of Colombo is alleged to have been a
mutinous spirit which prevailed among the Dutch troops.
The state of total insubordination of the garrison, the
violence of a Jacobin party,.and the fear of an internal
massacre, induced the governor to enter with prompti-
tude into a treaty with the English.
The King of Kandy, Rajadhi Rajah Singha, who
rendered some assistance to the Engli@h, in the expul-
sion of the Dutch, expected to derive considerable ad-
vantages from the accomplishment of that event. It
is probable that he entertained hopes of obtaining a sea-
port at least, if not some restoration of territory.
These hopes were, however, visionary, and he soon
found that he had only exchanged a wea.k for a powerful
neighbour ; and in the East a neighbour is usually
considered an enemy. All political and territorial re-
lations between the Briti~h and Kandyan governments
remained on the 11&m.e footing as they had been under

the Dutch.
The cinnamon found in the store-houses was sold by
the British troops employed in the reduction of Colombo,
to the East India Company for L.180,000.
The administration of the honolll'&ble the Governor
in Council at Madras commenced 16th February 1796.
The dominion of the Portuguese in Ceylon lasted
about 150 years, and that of the Dutch for nearly the
same period, The conquest of Ceylon by the Dutch
was, in a great measure, owing to the hatred which had
been excited by the bigotry, intolerance, and cruelty of
the Portuguese ; and although the Dutch were as de-
ficient as their predecessors in the virtues of justice and
humanity, their tyranny was not, like that of the Portu-
guese, influenced by the desire to propagate an exclusive
faith; it was not, however, less oppressive. "The in-
sensate av!:lrice of the Dutch," says Phil&lethes, "prove4
as unfavolll'&ble to the happiness of the people of Ceylon
as the enthusiastic bigotry of the Portuguese." Although
it is alleged that the Portuguese, when they were ex-
pelled from the island, had degenerated from the rigor-
ous, daring, and enterprising intrepidity of their ances-
tors, they made a noble resistance to their enemy ; but
the contemptible imbecility and unresisting cowardice
with which the Dutch suffered this important settlement
to be wrested from them by the British, have rarely
been paralleled in modem warfare.
The Dutch settlements were, in the first instance, held
in trust for the Stadtholder, to whose cause a large por-
tion of the inhabitants were attached. Ceylon became,
for a time, an appendage to the Presidency of Madras,
and the civil administration of the maritime provinces
of. the island was provisionally placed under a commis-
D1g1tized by Google
sioner sent from that establishment, who endeavoured to

introduce the same regulations and system of collecting
the public revenues which were in force on the coast of
CoromandeL For this purpose, a number of the natives
of the peninsula of India were bronght to Ceylon, to fill
the subordinate situations under government. An annual
tax of one fanan (lld.) was, at the same timfl, imposed
upon the produce of coco-nut and other fruit-bearing
trees. The inequality with which this tax weighed upon
the proprietors, from the great scarcity of money, became
insupportable, and, in a representation made to govem-
ment, they offered to pay in kind a certain proportion of
the fruit of every tree. This proposal was refused, and
an insurrection followed. The revolt which broke out on
this oocasion finally determined government to abandon
the tax altogether.
In 1798, the maritime provinces of the island were
transferred to the crown of England, and the Honour-
able' Frederick North was appointed to administer the
government. Under the control of the Governor iu
Council of the .Madras Presidency, Mr North assumed
the government on the 12th October J798.
At the peace of Amiens, (1801,) Ceylon was trans.
ferred from the superintendence of the East India Com-
pany to the immediate control of his Majesty's minister
for the Colonial department, a change which dates from
the bt day of January 1802.
About the middle of the year 1798, Rajadhi Rajah
Singha, the king of Kandy, died without issue, and
without having nominated a suecessor. According to
the uage of the Kandyan court, the right of naming a
succeuor in such cases belonged to the first adibr, an
oflice which was at that time filled by Pilimi Talawa, an
able, ambitious, and intriguing chief. The person
72 HISTORICAL 8ltETCH.
chosen by this minister was a Nayakara, 18 years of age,

by name Kannesamy, the son of a sister of one of the
queens-dowager. According to usage, he was proposed.
to the chiefs and people, and their acceptance was in
due form acknowledged. He was raised to the throne
by the name of Sri Wickreme Rajah Singha.
Not long after bis inauguration, Mootoo Sawmy, a
brother to one of the queens-dowager, and an aspirant to
the throne of Kandy, left the interior of the island, and,
having solicited an asylum in the maritime provinces,
was placed under the superintendence and protection of
Colonel Barbut, commandant of the garrison of Jaffna-
patam.
Pilimi Talawa, first adikar, the Kandyan prime mi-
nister, for a considerable time retained an influence
over the young king, and, as is alleged, induced him to
sanction several acts of cruelty and oppression, for the
ultimate end o1 promoting bis own ambitious and traitor-
ous purposes.
The objects of the adikar were, as has been briefly,
but comprehensively, stated by Major Forbes, "to get
rid of his en.emies, amongst whom he reckoned all who
could resist or interfere with bis schemes of ambition,
and to allow the d<lium of murders committed by bis
direction to fall on the young man on whose head he
had placed a crown, which be intended to transfer to his
own brows : this result he expected to accomplish either
by the open assistance of the British government, or by
secret treason and the as888sination of the king."
In February 1799, Mr North had an interview with
t.be chief adikar at Avisabavile, the latter having
declined coming to Colombo, through fear of the small-
pox. During this inte"iew, the adikar complained of the
king's countrymen, (the Malabars,) representinl!' them
'
o,,woGoogle j
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1799: 73
as instruments calculated to subvert his influence, and
that of the native chiefs at the court of Kandy. The
purpose of the adikar at this conference was obviously to
sound the governor preparatory to fully developing his
perfidious and ambitious project of attaining supreme
power at the expense of the king.
A ~econd interview between Mr North and the adikar
took place in December 1799, when the latter opened the
dil!Cussion by complaining of the king, on account of bis
having given bis confidence to the Malabars, and he
then eJ:plicitly stated bis wish, that the English would
take possession of the Kandyan country in the name of
his Britannic Majesty, and place him, the adikar, at
the head of the government. Cordiner asserts, that the
adikar "made a direct reque,t to the g<>1'emor, at this
intm,iew, to asmt him in taking away the life of the king,
a'Ml p"lacing himself 'on the throne, on which condition, he
would Make the English master, of the country."
In subsequent conversations with various persons em.
ployed on the part of the British government, the adikar
used every P,ossible argument to incline them to adopt
his favourite scheme, and to place him on the throne
of Kandy. During the month of January 1800, Mr
Boyd, the acting secretary to government, held a confer- .
ence with the adikar, who declared that he had an un-
conquerable hatred to the royal race of Malabars, whom
he considered the oppressors of his country ; that he
had raised Ka.rinesa.my, an ignorant and obscure youth,
to the throne, in order that he, the adikar, might, by
his influence over the king's conduct, render the unhappy
young man, whom he had elevated to the throne, detest-
Cordiner, vol. ii, p. 160.

D
74 HISTOBICAL SKETCH.
able in the eyes of the people, and thereby promote

a revolu.tion,. whioh would end in an euerminatioo.
of the foreign family, and the establishment of a Kao-
dyao raoe of monarchs oommencing with himself. Mr
Boyd then distinctly related,. to the adikar the. tenor of
his E.xcellency's instructions, namely, that.the governor
was sincerely desirous of the continuanoe of his ( the
adikar's) power., and would sec111'6 it to him, provided
the King of Kandy oonld be induced to pla,ce himself
and his country under the protection of Great. Bllitain,
and to admit an English garrison into his capital ;
but that he w.ould not permit a single soldier to enter
the Kandyan territory, or give him, the adika.r, any
assistance whatsoever, unless the king's person. and the
continuance of his dignity, were stipulated as a prelimi-
nary to any agreement to be made, and, his,expl'ellS con-
sent were obtained to the outline of any pemianent-
arrangements for the fut.ure connection between the two
governments : that it was the governor's wish that his
Kandyan majesty should voluntarily remain at Kandy,
under the safeguard. of an English garrison, and that
the adikar should continue to e:xeroise the sovereign
authority in his name. The adikar seemed to be Slll'.
prised that his E:xcellenoy should profelli so much anxiety
to support the king, and said, it was not he (the king)
who wished British, troops to be sent to Kandy. He
also stated that the king was not a friend to the English,
and. very significantly asbd: how his Excellency would
act, WJire the Ka.ndyans to attack the English? A part
of his Excellency's instruction~ whiob related to sending.
an embassy to Kandy under the charge of General
Macdowal, was then mentioned to the adikar. He
paused a little, and then observed, that the governor
i.'
EN'GLJIUI PERIOD, 1800. 75
111ight senci a. strong eaoort with the general. After
some e~prell&ions of regret that thin.gs must remain as
they were,. the conference ended.
On the 21st January 1800, another-interview took place
between. Mr North and the adikar, when- the latt.er nrged
the !Ule88ity of depoaing the king; bnt hie Excellency
refused tn be aocessoi,y to the deposition of a prince whom
he had offioiaily recognised, and from whom be had not
received any oause of oifence. The adikar then asked
how he ( the adikar) and the king could be in power
at the same time? Mr North coneeived that, under
existing circumstances, the best way would be for the
adikar to use }Lia influence with the king to make a re-
quisition for 'troops to defund him against his enemies,
(but what enemies is not stated,) with which the gover-
nor would instantly comply. The governor then in-
formed the adikar that he had it in contemplation to
communicate to the King of Kandy his int.ention to
send General Macdowal, as British ambassador, to
Kaod.y. He also stated, that he hoped the general
might be able to. form such, treaties as would be con-
ducive to. the ad"8tage of both countries. " Why,"
said the. adikar, "cannot a. treaty be made at Sita-
waka.?" the place where the int.erview was held. To
which question thegov.ernor replied, that nothing would
give him grealler sa.tisfaction, provided he, the adikar,
had full power from the king to ent.er upon an under-
taking of that kind. The adikar admitted that be had
no such aubh.ocity.
The alleged objeot in sending an ambassador to the
court of Kandy, at this time, was, a.ooording to Cordiner,
"to elwk tAe art, of the adiloar ;" but Mr North's cun-
ning was not equal to the craft of the adika.r. Decency
forb!',cfu his openly harbouring the design of the adikar
to take away the life of the sovereign, bnt interest urged

him to promote a similar one in a more secret manner,
and by an apparently honourable line of conduct. This
fully appears from the instructions with which General
Macdowal was deputed to . the Kandyan court. " In
order to elude the arts of the adikar," says the Rev.
Mr Cordiner, "the governor promised that Major-General
Macdowal should be sent as an ambassador, if the con-
sent of the king were previously obtained to his carrying
with him a sufficient military force to maintain his in-
dependence. It wa, at the ,ame time propo,ed, that if
the Icing ,houl,d appro-ce of it, he ,hould transport hi, per
son and court, for greater ,afety, to the BritiBh territorie,,
there to enjoy all hi, royal right,, and to depute to Pilimi
Tawwa, the adilcar, the uerciBe of hi, power in Kandy."
All this was proposed " to elude the arts of the ad~r" !
- ( Knighton, p. 310.)
On February 1, 1800, Mr Boyd had a long conference
with the adikar. At this interview, a great obstacle
was presumed w have been got over ; the adikar having .
alleged that he renounced any homicidal attempt on the .
king's person and dignity. He represented, however,
that all the functions of government should be committed
to himself, through the influence of a British army at
Kandy, and wished the troops for that purpose to be
sent up immediately, with General Macdowal as ambas-
sador. He described the king as being inimical to the
English ; and certainly, considering the underhand
countenance Mr North bad given to Pilimi Talawa's
treacherous designs, he had no reason to think highly of
his Excellency's international policy, or to have much
confidence in his professions of friendly relations between
the two powers. The adikar now seemed desirous that
General Macdowal should proceed to Kandy with a
body of troops, that the points in question might be
arranged on the spot. Mr Boyd replied, that he could
promise nothing about troops without the king's consent,
which was an essential part of the business .
. At a subsequent interview, a letter intended for the
King of Kandy was shown to the adikar, which, with
some alterations, he approved of. He then entered into
a discussion regarding the remuneration to be made to
the English for takiug the kingdom under their protec-
tion. They were to have at their disposal the revenues
of the country, chiefly consisting of rice, areca-nut, and
pepper, with full power to cut wood; and to collect cin-
namon wherever they chose. He proposed to return
to Kandy in order to meet the general, unless his pre-
sence should be required at court. He asked who would
command the troops after the departure of the general,
and was answered, probably Colonel Champagne, of
whom he approved. From the tenor of this question, he
appears to have expected that the ambassador's escort
would take military possession of Kandy, and the answer
was ca.lculated to excite a belief that the governor in-
tended to carry such a measure into effect.
At another conference, the letter to the king was
written and despatched. It notified the intenti'on- of
sending .the proposed embassy, accompanied by a mili-
tary escort. Ari answer was received, signed by the
first adikar, but with the royal seal affixed. This was
considered insufficient, Mr Boyd having insisted that
the. king's consent should be obtained by means of his
own. signature. The adikar agreed to this, and then
read over the treaty, and made some alterations. It was
proposed that the sum to be received by the English
should be two. lacs of pagodas, but the adikar said he
could not be answerable for nearly so large a sum.
78 HISTOB.ICAL SDTOJL
Varioua topics concerning the treatyTere then,~llled;

but Mr Boyd thought be peroeived. during this oeafer
enoe, that the adibr had not ,abandoned hiB long~he
rished project of seating himself on the tbreoe by the
deposition of the mihappy yeutb :whom, for bis own pur.
paaes, he had aeleoted for that high IW.QOD,
On March 4th, another in~rview between Mr Boyd
and the adikar took plaee, when the latter ,tllrew out
many hints which clearly proved that he was not acting
with sinc.erity in regard to the treaty, but that he wu
still labouring to assign reasons for e&oting the deposi,
tion of the king, whom .he bad repeatedly declared be
had plaood on the throne in a time of trouble, with the
determination .hereafter to dethrooe, and 1lo t.a.ke bis
plaoo. Mr Boyd let him know that he perceived bis
drift. The adikar then, as on a former occasion, inquired
what would be considered a suffioieat -aggr888ion to
cause us ie take .arms -against the king? and went so
flll' as to .uk wbetlier an i1T11ption of 3000 men iqto the
Eaglish territories W'.ould -auBiee f It was 118pied, that
such an irruption wcnx14 be comridered u provecation
enough ; but, it ,ras added, .t ,W should an inroad tab
place, he himself would be regarded aa the person who
instigated hoetilities, and oould not, for one mement,
look up to the British government fer support or pl'O
tection,
March 5th, the adibr refued, on tiriftiug ei:cuaes, to
sign a fair copy of the treaty which lie bad a p ~
Mr Boyd Mked if he would give him :a :pomtne 8118111'
ance, and for ,rhich he w!)llla be ll69p0nsible, that the .
gener.al, en his anival, would find .the king at Kandy.
To tbiB question the .adibr &I uot, pre a - a a t ~
reply, altbi>ugh it ,ru repeatied to him I.oar iime1.
ElliGLISII PEltIOD, 1800. 79
Maroll 6th, Mr &r infonne4 the admr that the
gOJPDOT had. rel!olved tl> ~nd!forward the -embassy with
the troops, ec,nsi&ring the king's permission as having
been given through him. He added, that the governor
Nlied upon him that he would aot oaNtially and ein-
oerely in getting -t he treaty settled at Kandy, sfter the
manner it bad been ooncerted. The adtkar Mid, the
governor might rely 'on his ~oing so, ed promised, out
of respect to the ambasaador, to meet him in pereon, and
~ other men ef nmk to pay due N&pect to him.
In the preceding aooo'IUlt of the eeeral -00Iiferenoes
held with the .adiJca1,, that minister's policy is made ap-
parent. It is obvious that lle placed Kannesatny-on the
t.ln..a fer :a temporal'y pu!'p088, tt further his own -de-
sigus, his object being to get ri4 fif Mm by assassinlCt'WD,
or by any ot.her means, and to seile the vaoant tbrone for
himself. For 1ihis purpose, he did not scrupte to pro-
-pose rendering the crc,wn of Kandy tl'ibntary 'to the
English, truating to oevts for freeiBg him from titeir
dominion, ,rhen their arms were ne longer neoessary for
his protectioa ; and Mr North appears to hal'e partioi-
pat.ed inmany of his ptJrfldious schemes. H~ lhb very
uplicitly discioeed his plan 'for involving the king in
laoetilities with the English, by me&nll of a pt'Op(18ed
aggpell&ion on the part of the Kandyans, presnming that
the governor wonld make !hostilities a pretes:t fer &ban-
-clening the king, notwitbstandi.ag his professed adberenoo
to his interest, and thereby dect bis ~eposition. His
.anticipations were, in some rieepec,11, well fo11Bded ; for
the gol'ernor did certainly eommeDC'8 hostititi<es and
abandon the king, aad plaoe4 Meotoo Sawmy on the
thl'eae of Kandy, as will be noticed lte~. It is not
for me to give aa opinioa hw f&r it was con&istent with
die international uaages of ci'filised atates, for Mr North

to intrigue with the prime minister and the avowed in-

tended assassin of the King of Kandy, for the purpose of
. virtually, if not actually, rendering the throne vacant,
while the two powers were at peace. The governor, in
apparently adopting the interests of Pilimi Talawa,
.had, no doubt, for his ultimate object the establishing
a military force in Kandy ; well knowing that, in such
cases, protection is very nearly synonymous with su-
peroession.
These details respecting the negotiations of the adikar
and Mr North have been derived from the publications
.of the Rev. Mr Cordin-er and Lord Valentia, both of
whom, it .is believed, obtained their information from
.Mr North himself, or, with his sanction, from the public .
officers under government.
The Rev. James Cordiner belonged to the Episcopal
. Church of Scotla.nd, and about the end of last century
went to Madras to superintend a school. He was subse-
quently appointed by Mr North to the situation of chap-
.lain -to the garrison of Colombo. His appointment not
.. having been confu;m.ed by"the government at home, he
returned to Scotland in 1805 or 1806 ; and in 1807 he
published his work on Ceylon, in 2 vo]s. 4to. Mr
Cordiner became the colleague of a Mr Alcock, in an Epis-
.copal chapel in Aberdeen, and died about the year 1830.
Lord Valentia travelled in the East from 1802 till
1806; and in 1809 published his Narrative, in 3 vols.
.4to. He arrived in Ceylon on the 22d December 1803,
and resided with Mr North, then governor, for about
three weeks. His work contains some interesting facts
and documents regarding Ceylon.
The undue influence of native ministers has been a
fertile source ofevil to the population of the native states
of India ; and our government has been accused of Wl
dermining the authority of sovereigns, by clandestinely

supporting disloyal minist.ers. It is obvious that Mr
North was zealously following this plan with the adikar
and the King of Kandy.
On the 12th March, the proposed embassy of General
Macdowal set out from Colombo, more like a military
expedition than a friendly deputation. The escort
consist.ad of U64 men, Europeans and natives of India ;
but only two companies of Sepoys, and two companies
of Malays, were allowed by the Kandyan government to
proceed beyond Ruangwelle, the boundary of the Kan-
dyan country. The adikar met the embassy in state,
and kept his promise of presenting General Macdowal to
the king ; but when the articles of the ~aty came to be
discussed, they were not acceded to by the Kandyan
court. The third article, which was as follows, must
have been peculiarly objectionable to the king and his
councillors : -
" ARTICLE III.-In order to secure the honour and

safety of his Kandyan majesty and his successors,
his Excellency the Governor of the British posses-
sions in Ceylon shall send immediately into his
majesty's t.erritories a detachment of seven or eight_
hundred men, which force may hereafter be in-
creased as occasion may require ; and as the troops
are to be employed for the purpose of securing the
king on his throne, and defending him .against all
his enemies, foreign and domestic, his Kandyan
majesty agrees to ~efray the expense or four hun-
dred men, with a proportion of officers of the said
force; that is to say, &c., &c.
The troops which are stationed in his
majesty's dominions shall only be considered as the
D2
8! BI8TOJUCAL t!KETCll.
defenders of him aad his neoesson, and to support

and me.int&in them ia all their riglltB -aad pre-
r-0gatives. "
Coroiner hu .given a Tf!lr/ ditferent account of this

important article. His version is as follows:-
" III.
" In order to ell.8Dre the safety of his Kandyan
majesty's throne, the governor of the British settle-
ments promises to send troops into the K&ody.an
dominions whenever they may be deemed neeeseary
to atwj), I.bat object; Uld the K:.ing of Kandy agrees
to de~y-the expmuie of the troops so employ~I..''
. ' ..
j. , ,
Although Mr North''s trea.ty wu net aooepted, tile

king did not reje<,1; " all relations of amity ,, with oar
government, for the:Kandyan court lost no time in pro
posing a treaty, consisting of eight articles, ( ours consisted
ofuine,) which General lrlaodowal considered inadmis-
sible. The sixth article of the draft of a. treaty, sub-
mitt.ed to the ambassador by the Kandyan oourt, con-
tained, in all probability, the most .objectionable pro-
position:-
" ARTIOLB VI.-T.be King of Kandy ,shall be . per-

mitted to have ten ships or doniee, as he shall think
fit, whfoh shall be allowed to sail from, and return
to, the Engliah ports, with suo.h merchandise aa is
thought proper ; ud these vessels are neither .t o be
examined, nor to pay any duty whatsoever."
To render the full import of this article obvious, it is

only necessary to state, that whatever produce the Kan-
,.
ENGt.188 PB1UOD, 1802. 83
dyaos e.q,orted or imported passed through onr CW1tom-

hol188. AJeCa..nut.s. the prmcipal article 'of Kandyan
export, was charged 75 per oent.; and the tu on salt
oharged 'by the English government was from 800 to
1000 per cent. above the co&t of it.a production. Ceylon
abounds with salt ; everywhere along the coaat.s exten-
sive f ~ of it are found, more particularly in the
neighbomhood of Hunbantote, 'Where it crystallizes
aponueously., in " 1,eways," or shallow lakes near the
sea.
Cordiner informs us that General Macdowal was in -
structed to propose to the king, " should he approve of
it, to transport his person and his court, for greater
safety, into the British tierritories, there to enjoy all his
royal right.a, and to depute to Pilimi Talawa, the
adika.r, the -exercise of his power in Kandy ; also, thata
British subsidiary force should be maintained there, at
the upense of the Kandyan government. The ambassa-
dor was, at the same time, not to consent to any foroe or
threats being used again&t the king," The general, it
may be presumed, had not sufficient effrontery to sug-
gest such a proposal, From this detail of Ceylon di-
plomacy, it may be inferred that the King of Kandy had
" fallen among thieves," who would hav~ stripped him
of his kingdom ; but, fortUDately for him, their objects
were discordant, and they had DO well-founded confidence
in the good faith of eaeh other.
During a period of two years, various overtures were
made by Mr North to the Kandyan court, for agreeing
upon terms of alliance, and from the Kandyan court to
Mr N Oll'th, but without effecting any beneficial result.
On 3d February 1802, an embassy from the King of
Kandy arrired at Colombo, with the second adi.kar, who
was the first adi.kar's nephew. In a secret conference
----------------------
84: HISTORICAL SKETCH.
with Mr North, he attempted to renew the propositions

formerly made by his uncle Pilimi Tal&wa, rega.r.di.n_g
the dethroning of the king, -&e., &e., but the governor
declined hearing him on these topics. The embassy
then demanded the cession of three small islands, which
had been granted by the Dutch treaty in 1766, with the
right of employing ten vesaels in a free commerce. The ,
governor treated this demand as wholly inadmissible,
and as it was made an essential preliminary to a new
treaty, an end was put to the discussion. The deputies
expressed a wish that another embassy might be sent to
I
Kandy, which was refused.
Pilimi Tal&wa having apparently become convinced
that he must adopt another plan to forward his ambitious
and treacherous designs, determined upon commencing
his long-meditated expedient of promoting hostilities,
by aggression on the part of the Kandyans. Accord-
ingly, bodies of armed men soon appeared on the
frontiers of the British territories ; and in the month of
April 1802, some inhabitants of Putlam, subjects of the
King of Great Britai~, being upon a trading journey in
the Kandyan country, were forcibly despoiled of a quan-
tity of areca-nuts, together with their cattle, by a person
in authority at Kakanacoolly, and many circumstances
combined to show that the first adikar had been .the
author of this act of outrage, which, independently of
the booty, valued by one authority at L.300, and by
another at L.1000, might promote his immediate object
-war between the two powers. It was satisfactorily
proved that one of the confidential agents of the adikar
conveyed the areca-nuts to Ruangwelle, and sold them
there to some traders from Colombo, Reparation was
,repeatedly demanded, on the part of the local govern-
ment, from the court of Kandy ; but as the represent&
Digitized .by Goog Ie

.
QGLISB PERIOD, 1803. 85

tions of Mr North were all probably conveyed through
the &dikar, the king may have never heard of his Excel-
lency's claims for that purpose.
Under these circumstances, our govemment deter-
mined to mareli an army to Kandy, for the alleged pur-
pose of enforcing a claim to full indemnification for the
loss incurred by the Putlam merchants, and to exact suf-
ficient security against similar acts of violence.
'fhere being no satisfactory evidence that the king
was a party to the robbery of the Putlam merchants, it
is not obvious that he should have been held imme-
diately and personally responsible for the unofficial acts '
of his villanous minister, whose treason we had, to a
certain degree, countenanced. The local government
should, perhaps, in the first instance, have demanded the
punishment of the &dikar, but Mr North seems to have
lad, through the whole course of his intriguing policy,
a leaning in favour of Pilimi Talawa. He could, how-
ever, have had no real good will to the adikar, for,
except on one point, there was no unity of object be-
tween them. They both wished to depose the king, but
each wished to possess exclusively his territory.
. The troops destined for the invasion ofthe Kandyan coun-
.try were formed into two divisions-the first, or Colombo
division, marched on the 31st of January 1803, more like
a pleasure party on a large scale, than an invading arpiy,
.under the command of Major-General Macdowal ; and
The division under the command of General Macdowal con-
sisted of two incomplete companies of the Bengal Artillery, with
the usual proportion of gun l.ascara ; two companies of the 19th
regiment; the 51st regiment, (625 strong.;) the Ceylon Native
Infantry, at\et-wards 2d Ceylon regiment, 1000 men; one com-
pany of Malafs.; and a corps of pioneers. The division under
.Colonel Barbu\ oonaiated of one company of the Madras Artillery ;
five oompaniea of the 19th regimel\,t; the greater part of the
Malay regiment.; and a necessary portion of lascars and pioneers.
86 HISTO.IUC.U. SKETCH.
the second left Trincomuee, under the command of

Col011el Barbut, on the 4:th F-ebnlary. Nat.her of the
divisions met with any serious resistance on their marob,
and t1ley both 1'1880hed the Ma.ha Villa Ganga, three miles
from the town of Kandy, on the 20th of February. The
Colombo division had performed, aooording to Cordiner,
a march ef l 03 miles ; aad tlaat from Trincomalee, 142.
The slirength of the two divisions amounted to about
3000 men.
On the following morning, 21st February, some of
the troops croeeed the Maha Vi.ll& Ganga, and occupied
the town of Kandy, which was found tt>tally deserted by
its inhabitants. -The head-quarters of the 19th and 51st
regiments also marched into Kandy oo the 24:th a,nd 25th
of the 1&111e month.
Prince Mootoo Sawmy having "demonstnted his
claims to tae throne," to the alleged satisfaction of Kr
North, hia Excellency deemed it expedient to have him
brought from Minnery, whither he -h ad accompanied.
Colonel Barbllt, to Kandy, and there formally crowned
king. He was accordingly conveyed to Kandy by a
large detachment of British troops, and crowned on the
8th March with all the forms of Eastem ceremonial.
Mootoo Sawmy and Kannesam.y w~ each eligible to
be chosen King of Kandy, inasmuch as they were both
of !'OYal lineage, but neither of them had any peculiar
cla.im to the throne by relationship to the late king.
Kannesamy, it will be recollected, had been regularly
proposed by the &<likar, and elected by tbe ohiefa, in
compliance with the customs of the ooo.ntry ; and I may
likewise state, that Mr North had not only recognised
him as King of Kuidy, but, as we h&Ye already aeen,
commissioned an ambassador, Major-General Macdowal,
to his court. Mr Northhad also repeatedly pledged him-
Di~itized by Google
ESLISB PEJlIOD, 1808. 87
self not to abandon his iat.erest.a. The gonrnor wu,
no donbt, sufficiently well aware that the aggreuion on
the put of the Kandyans was a deliberatAI and Jong-
meditated meaaure of tbe adikar, obviously umlertaken
for the purpose of leading to a deposition of the king,
and his auumption. of the throne ; and these details
will ah.ow that the adikar's object wae rather promoted
than discouraged by .the olandestine intrigues which had
ale.en place between him and his Exoellency, Mr North,
No eoooer had Mootoo Sawmy been cro:wned king,
than articles of convention were entered into between
his highness and the governor of the Br.itiah settlements
in Ceylon, in which great oonce81DOD8 were made to the
English. One of the cla11888. of the oonvention pro-
vided, that the new king was to receive an ~ foroe
from the British settlements, intervention being a com-
mon preconor of subjugation, an object at which Mr
North had long aimed. ( Appendix II.) .
"In this maimer," 1&ys MrCordiner, .. arrangements
were made wici t1l6 mo,t ltflC6N e.onlia1Aty between the
British government and :Mootoo SaYJD.y"-dividing the
Kandyan territory without having subdued the reigning
king ! Meantime, the new king met with no adherents,
and he remained in the palace without my court but his
own dome81Ji.os, and supporood by no other power but the
British government.
The policy of Pilimi Talawa, in epposition to Mr
North, waa crafty and sncc888fuL By artful 1'8prel8Bta-
tiODS, he encouraged the English to attempt exha.uating
and fruitless hoatile expeditions, obviously for the pur-
poee .of gaining time, and placing both parties entirely
in his power. He had the effrontery to carry on a cor-
Conlin.er, voL ii. p. 188.
88 HISTORICAL SXETC
reepondenee, under the mask of friendship, with the

commander of the British forces, who was sufficiently
credulous to become his dupe. In this correspondence
he endeavoured to cajole onr government, which, being
very easy of belief, fell into the snare placed for it by
the adikar. He urged us to make an attempt to capture
the fugitive king, who was at this time at Hangaranketty,
a post about two days' march (18 miles) from Kandy.
The adikar explained to General Macdowal the nature
of the post, pointed out the line of march by which it
would be easy to gain acce88 to it, mentioned the resist-
ance 'which might be expected, and requested that two
strong detachments might be sent by different routes, so
that they might arrive simultaneously at the palace of
Hanga.ranketty, promising that he would asaist in de-
livering his sovereign into our hands.
Accordingly, two detachments, one amounting to
about 500 men, under the command of Colonel Baillie,
and another to 300, marched, on the morning of the
13th March, by different routes. The country be
tween Kandy and Hauga.ranketty is exceBBively strong
by nature, and great pains had been taken to strengthen
it still more by art.. Batteries were erected on every
eminence which commanded the paths through which
our soldiers were to pasa, and marksmen were placed
in ambush in the thickest coverts of the jungle, and
wherever they could do us most injury. The detach-
ments reached the place of their destination on the
evening of the 14th, by which time the king had made
his escape. On the 15th, the troops having burned the
palace to the ground, commenced their return to Kandy,
and met with the same opposition they had experienced
in their advance. The loss incurred by killed and
wounded in this expedition was considerable ; and there
ENGLISH PEmo, 1808. 89
can be no doubt that the measure was planned and
carried into execution, for our destruction, by the adikar.
Nineteen coollies were killed, and a great many wounded.
In the meantime, the Kandyans hovered round our
outposts in the neighbourhood of the capital. Concealed
in the woods and thickets, they fired upon the guards and
aeatriea during the night ; and whenever any unfortunate
stragglers fell into their hands, they put them to death .
. They knew their own weakness too well to emerge from
their hiding-places during the day, or near to any con-
siderable body of ti:oops. A reward of _ten rupees was
given for the head of every European, and five for that
of every other clatls of soldiers in the English service.
Another communication was made by the adikar to
the governor, which led to a conference between the
second adikar and General Macdowal, on the 28th of
March. At this conference, it was agreed .t hat the
fugitive king (when he was captured, it may be presumed)
should be delivered over to the British government ; that
Pilimi Talawa should be invested with supreme autho-
rity in Kandy, under the title of Ootoon Komarayen, the
.GreatPrince, and that he should pay an annuity of 30,000
rupees to Mootoo Sawmy, who would hold his court at
Jaffnapatam; that Fort Macdowal, with the surround-
ing district, the road to Trincomalee, and the province
of the Seven Corles, should be ceded to his Britannic
Majesty ; and that a ce11ation of arm, should immedi-
ately take place between the contracting powers, (Ap-
pt>ndix III.) ,On the faith of the fulfilment of this treaty,
made, it will be recollected, with an avowed traitor and
minister of the king, General Macdowal left Kandy for
Colombo on the 1st April; taking with him the 61st re-
giment, the Ceylon Native Infantry, 1000 strong, and a
.detachment of Bengal Artillery. At the same time,
D1g1tized by Google
90
part of the ltth and Malay regiments marched from

Kandy for Tr-inoomalee.
'' The garrison left in Kandy oonsisted of 700 Malaya,
and 300 Etll'Opeans of the 19th regiment, and Bengal
and Madras Artillery, besides a considerable number of
sick."-{OordM", vol. ii. p.197.) Had General Mac-
dowal been acquainted with the history of Ka.ndyan
warfare, and the noble resistance which the inhabitlmts
of the bills had repeatedly made w European fo.
"Ylltlers, he wonld not have eonaidered so small a force
adequate for retaining posaeasion of the interior of the
island. From the moment he left Kandy wh the bolk
of the troops, the mnaJl garriaon was doomed to de-
straction. How could Mr North, or General Macdawal,
expect that Pilimi Talawa, who was faitbfnl neither to
his Jciagnor to his oormtry, would be faithful to a foreign
invader, mare especially 811 they ought to have been
awwe of his ultimate object? " Our whole army," says
Major Beaver, .. being ill, the safety <Jf the garrisa ef
the capital depended upon the honour and good faith of
the adikar." No oommandant, however tmented he
might be, oOlllcl have averted the event which followed.
The immediate object of the adibr, in aa far as the
English were concerned, was to gaia time; his policy
towards the king, wt, may suppose, had no very loyal
tendency.
How are we to aooount for fueee changes of policy of
Mr North? Early in March,Mootoo Sawmywaacrowned
King of Kao.dy by the English, and articleit of oon~-
tiw were .a.rranged with him, by mob he was to receive
an auxiliary military force from the British aett.lements.
. Yet, oa tile 29th of the 8Ulle month, the above e%tn-
ordinary oompaot waa concluded between General Mac.
.dowal and Pilimi Tala,ra. "Mootoo Sawmy," as baa
91
been obee"ed by Maj Forbes, " 1'88 proclaimed King

of Kandy by the British ; they brought him to the
,capital ; they aall'lted him 88 king ; they offered to sup-
port him with a milit.ary fmee ; yet but a Tery few days
.after tkis, witlloot any fault on his, or misfortuae on their
part, they <leliberat.ely CODOlude, and afterwards ratify,
a treaty, by which .he was t.o become a .pensioner -GJ1.one
they knew to be a Y.il1aiJl, ready fr> -commit the want of
crimes, yet whom they were abeat to raise to mpreme
authority oVilr the Kaodyaos." Mootoo S&W'IDJ bad
obviously much 1'888611 to complain of the wa:ot of good
faith in his Excellency the governor.
It is very pouible that Mr North SOOD regrefJted the
measure of eleirating Prince.Mootoo Sawmy to thltthTODe
-0f Kanely, notwithstanding his " charaot.er for humanity
and politeness, 88 well as discretion and dignity." The
,prinoe, it is all~, persuaded his Excellency that he
possessed the warm attachment of the dif'erent ranb of
Kandyans, and that :they would flock to his standard.
but not a .siDgle man joined him. Mootoo Sawmy, it
seems, had not a very reputable character in Kandy.
Our embassies and negotiations with Kandy, from
1798 to 1803, were .not calculated to raise the British
gevernmeiit in the eatimatien of the king, 11or efflll is
the opinion of the adibr, in whoae favour .,,e bad evinced
so remarkable a degree of facility and vacillation ; but
to what iextent of degmdatioa Yill ambition not submit ?
The troops accomplished their respective ma.rcmes
to Colombo .and to Trinoomalee, haviag met with no
.opposition. On the 15th April, Captain Madge, 19th
1egiment, marched from Kand7 for Fort .Maodowal, a
pest about HJ milel on the l'Q8d to Trinoomalee, with
Lord Valemia, vol. L 1198.
55 rank and file of the 19th regiment. About this time

a letter was received at Colombo from the first adikar,
requesting an interview with thegovernor, for the alleged
purpose of arranging a definitive treaty. Anxious to
obtain pt>sseBBion of the country apparently by any
means, whether by the treason of the adikar or by force
of arms, Mr North set out for Dambadiniya, in the
Kandyan territory, on the 28th April, where he arrived
on the 1st of May. On the 3d of the same month, he
was waited upon by Pilimi Talawa, with whom he held
a long conference ; and when the contracting parties,
namely, Mr North and the avowed traitor minister of
the King of Kandy, fully agreed to the terms of the
singular treaty which had been drawn up in Kandy by
General Macdowal and the second adikar on the 28th
March.
Mr Arbuthnot, the chief secretary to government,
returned the visit of Pilimi Talawa the next day, and
tendered to him three copies of the convention, which
he signed and sealed. At this time, Colonel Barbut
undertook to obtain Prince Mootoo Sawmy's acquies-
cence .in the terms of the convention, when he reached
Kandy ; but another fate awaited both parties, they
never met again. The Colonel was a~tacked with fever
at Dambadiniya, on the 4th May, and was sent to
Colombo, where be died on the 21st. Prince Mootoo
Sawmy, as we shall see, was put to death on the 27th
June.
By this treaty, the policy of any commandant of Kandy
must have been fettered, and the most judicious mea-
sures for the welfare of the troops, and the defence of
the garrison, rendered nugatory ; and to it may be at-
tributed the melancholy catastrophe which followed.
It was subsequently ascertained, that the real object
of the adikar, in soliciting an inte"iew with Mr North
at Dambadiniya, was for the purpose of taking him
prisoner ; and it appears that he was deterred from the
att.empt by the strength of his Excellency's escort, which
had been greatly augment.ed by the unexpected arrival
of a detachment of Malaya, under the command of
Colonel Barbut, who bad proceeded to the Seven Corles .
to pay his re~ts to the governor.
On the death of Colonel Barbut, the command of the
garrison of Kandy, henceforth a forlorn hope, devolved
upon Major Davie.
At the urgent request o( the adikar, General Mac-
dowal was again sent to Kandy, which place he reached
on the 23d May. The adikar did not, however, repair
to Kandy, as he had promised, to meet the general, but
wrote to him, on the 2d June, that he could not wait
upon him without the permission of the king. It would
be highly int.eresting to know what representations the
adikar m~e to the king respecting the English, from
the time he solicited Mr North's assistance to assassin-
ate him, and what opinion each ent.ertained respecting
his policy.
Mr North, trusting, apparently, with pertinacious
blindness, but with implicit confidence, in the honour
and honesty of his perfidious confederat.e, Pilimi Talawa,
adopted no adequate means to reinforce the sickly and
not trust-worthy garrison of Kandy, to supply the troops
with provisions, and to keep up a communication with
Colombo and the int.erior.
About this time, frequent supplies, both from Colombo
~d Trincomalee, intended for the troops in Kandy, were
taken by the Kandyans, and many of the coollies who
were carrying the stores were put to death. The garri-
son of Kandy was greatly reduced by death, both of
0tg,1i,ed by Google
9-1 IUSTO:RIO!.L SltE'l'CH,
officers and men ; and almost all the European soldiers

were confined to the hospital Owing to the violent
rains which accompany the setting in of the south-west
monsoon, which talces place early. in Ma.y, and the con-
sequent swelling of the rivers, which inundated the low
country, any communication between Kandy and Co-
lombo became extremely difficult.
General Macdowal left Kandy on the 11~ June, and
did not reach Colombo until the 19th.
Kandy was now virtually in a state of bJockade, and
the unhappy fate of the garrison was faat approaching.
The Kandyans began to advance very near to the capital,
and eventually entrenched themselves in strong posi-
tions ; attempts being made, at the same.time, to seduce
the Malay soldiers from their allegiance, and in too
many instances with success. On the 9th June; eight
Malays, and the same number of Madras Lascal'S, went
over to the enemy, and very few European soldiers were
fit for duty in the garrison,. At this time, the dissave
Leuke announced to our government, through a confi..
dential agent, that the first adikar was a " perfidious
villain, who deceived the whole world, and that the
second adikar had quarrelled with him." Mr N.orth.was
as well aware as the dissave Leuk.e that the adikar was
a villain, but at this time he was presumed to be our ally,
and apparently trusted as a. friend.
On the 13th June, Major Da.vie received a letter from
the adikar, telling him that he was in disgrace with the
king, owing to his endeavours to serve the English, and
requesting him to undertake another expedition to.
Hangaranketty. The adikar, trusting so.confidently in
the credulity of Mr North, seems to hae considered.
himself warranted in making any proposal, however
abaurd, to the English. The olljeot of the .adikar was
ENGLISH PERIOD 1808. 95
I .
obvioualy inoompatible with that of Mr North, or with
bis duty to the kiog; and, consequen.llly, ha oould not be
. expected to be.sincere in his professions of attachment
to. either party. It was not the jntention of Pilimi
Talawa to exert bis influence to transfer the Kandyan
country permanently to the English, his plan being to
render himself the sovereign, under the pretence that
he would hold it subject to a nominal control of the
Ifoglish, In the present instance, Major Davie did not
become the dupe of the adika.r.
By the 20th June, many of the Malaya had deserted.
The Europeans were dying at the rate of six men a-day.
Paddy (rice in the husk) was almost the only article
which remained for the subsistence of the troops, and,
in their siokly state, they were unable to perform the
labour of clearing it of the husk.. W a111ike preparations
were, at the same time, in progress by the Kandyans in
diffetent quarters, but Major Dav:ie was ignorant whe-
ther those threatened hostilities were intended as an in-
fraction of the tNaty signed by the adikar, or whether
their object was to forward its execution. Prince Mootoo
Sawmytrembled at his situation, and would have been
glad to renounce his pretensions to the throne of Kandy,
that he might reach his old station at Jaft'napatam.
Mr North, it is alleged, at length contemplated the
expediency of withdrawing the troops from the Kandyan
country ; but the requisite number of coollies could not
be procured, and nothing effectual was done for that
purpose. Major Davie was thus left to struggle with
insurmountable difliculties ; his position being an open
town, surrounded by wooded hills ;. a feeble, sickly gar-
rison, part of which was of very doubtful fidelity, with-
out provisions, or the means of procuring a supply ; cut
off'from all communication with the maritime provinces;
96 l118'l'ORICAL SKE'l'CB.
surrounded by a. vigilant enemy ; and, as may be pre-

sumed, in great doubt whether to consider the adikar a
friend or a foe.
The adikar communicated by an ola (letter) with
Major Davie on the 23d June, informing him, in his
usual mysterious manner, that the Kandyans intended
to attack him, and that he himself had lost the confi-
dence and incurred the displeasure of the king. In con- .
sequence of this information, a disposition was made for
the defence of the town, and four field-pieces were placed
in di1ferent directions for its protection.
The truce was broken, on the pa.rt of the Kandyans,
on the same day, by seizing the posts of Giriagamme
and Galgederah, which were ga.rrisoned by Ma.lays,
some of whom had deserted. These posts are situated
about ten or twelve miles from Kandy, on the road to
Colombo, by Komegalle.
Before daybreak, on the morning of Friday the 24th
June, the Kandyan .force, which is said to have ex-
ceeded 10,000 men, attacked a small British post, situ
ated on a. hill immediately adjoining to the palace,
where the troops were stationed, in Kandy, and made
the garrison prisoners. The palace was next attacked
by a party of Kandyan Ma.lays. These were opposed
by Lieutenant Blakeney and a few men of the 19th
Regiment. Lieutenant Blakeney and the Malay chief
who commanded the assailants were killed. Captain
Humphries, by loading a field-piece with grape-shot,
did great execution among the enemy. The Kandyans
occupied the hill adjoining the palace in great numbers,
a.nd continued to keep up an incessant fire upon the
English by means of jingals. Lieutenant Plenderleath
was mortally wounded ; a private of the Bengal Ar
tillery and two Ma.lays were killed. The officers of the
gatjison became exhausted with fatigue. There were

only twenty European convalescents to resist a great
body ol Kandyans who were pressing upon the palace.
Owing to the defection of the Malaya by desertion,
this branch of Major Davie's force must have been
greatly reduced. On the 1st April, when General Mac-
dowal left the interior with the great body of the troops,
700 Malaya remained in Kandy as part of the garrison ;
but when Major Davie retreated ftom Kandy, only250 ac-
companied him, no fewer than 450 being unaccounted for.
The European officers of the Malay regiment having
become sensible of the inability of the English to resist
tbe Kandyans, represented to Major Davie that they
conld not hold out much longer, and entreated him t.o
enter into a capitulation with the enemy. This repre-
sentation was made about two o'clock, at which time
they had l)een warmly engaged for ten hours. After
some time being spent in considering the subject of a
capitoJati1>n, a white flag was displayed by the British,
and the firing ceased on both aides. A conference with
the adibr and Major Davie ensued, when it was stipu-
lated that Kandy should be immediately delivered up
to the Kandyan~ with all the stores, &c. ; that the
British should march out of Kandy with their arms,
by the road leading to Trincomalee ; that Mootoo Sawmy
should be permitted to accompany them ; and that the
adikar should take care of the sick and wounded, until
a11ch time a. they could be removed to Trincomalee or
Colombo. The above articles were written on an ola,
signed and exchanged between Major Davie and the adi-
kar, who likewise delivered a passport to him, written
ia the name of the king, to enable him to proceed with-
Ollt molest.atwn on the road to Trincomalee,
Accordingly, about 5 P. 11., the troops, consisting of
E
l Digitized by Goog Ie
98 HISTORICAL SUTCH,
14 European officers, 20 Britiah aoldien, 250 Mataya,

140 guo Lucan, with Prince Mootoo Sawmy and hit
attendant.a, marched out of Kandy, and proceeded t.o
. the Watapologa ferry, on the Maha Villa Ganga. about
three mile on the road t.o Trincomalee. ( Oordinw,
voL ii. p. 210.) The river, which in rainy weather it
both wide and deep, not being fordable ; and there
being neither boat.a nor raf'ta provided by which they
could cross it, they were obliged t.o halt all night. It
.rained very hard, and the party having no better mean '
of covering, sought shelter under a boga'lta tree, now
called Major Davie 's Tree, which still stands,'OD a green
hillock near to the ferry. Here tb~y remained exposed
to very heavy rain, Next morning, Saturday the 2~th
June, the troops were employed in endeavouringt.o form
rafts; but a rope could not, with their means, be easily
carried across the river, owing to the depth and rapidity
of the current. About seven .&..11., many armed Kandyan1
assembled near them, and others made their appearance
on the opposite bank. Four head men came to Major
Davie, and informed him that the king had been
greatl1 o1fended with the adikar for permitting the gar
riaon to leave Kandy ; but that if he would deliver np
. Mootoo Sawmy, boat.a would be supplied to crOBB the
river, and the party would receive tho requisite asaist,.
anee to enable them to accomplish their march to Trin-
comalee. Major Davie refused, at first, to do so ; but
having been waited on by another party of Kandyan
chiefs, who informed him, that if Mootoo Sawmy were
withheld, the kiug would send his whole force to eeize
him, and prevent the British troops from crossing the
.river ; after a consultation with the officers, he COD
sented to give him up, ae it appeared that resistance
would prove vain, and involve them all in destruction.
Di~itized by Goog Ie
ENGLISH ~Eruo, 1808'.
~ltout four .o'clock P.11., a few Kandyans joined the

party, apparently to assist in making preparations for
enabling the troops to cr088 the river, but night came 011
before anything effectual was completed. Early on
SWlday the 26th J uue, armed Kandyaus. assembled in
great numbers in the vicinity of the party. At about
ten o'clock, Captain Humphreys aucoeeded in getting a
warp across the river, but the Kandyans 011 .the opposite
side soon after cut the rope. About this time, the
Maiays and gun La.scars began to desert in small parties.
Jlarusley says tl1at he saw some of the deserters, in the
British uniform, fire upon the English. At about eleven
o'clock, one hundred armed KandyanMalays,and eighty
Caffries, together with a great number of undisciplined
natives, posted themselves within a hundred paces of the
British troops. A Kandyan chief then came up to Major
Davie, and delivered a message to him from the king, the
purport of which was, that all the garrison should return
to Kandy unarmed ; and that if they refused to comply
with this demand, they should be immediately sur-
rounded and put to death. The writer has thus far
chiefl1 followed Mr Cordiuer, who, it ia to be regretted,
rarely mentions his authority for the facts he narrates ;
but, from the intimacy which existed between him and
the Hon. Mr North, it ma1 be ,presumed that his infor-
mation was received from the beat sources.
Major Beaver, who waa aid-de-camp to Mr North, informs m
that an oftice1'1t M11lay servant, 'l\'ho hl&d e11Caped from Kandy,
detailed to his Exeellency the circumstances connected with the
delivering up of Mootoo &wmy, and the mossacreof the Europen118 ;
and it is probable that Mr Cordiner derived his information from
the same, or a similur source. The account Cordiner has ginn of
the conduct and fate of Nouradeen and his brother at Hangaran-
ketty was probably .obtained from authority of the same kind.
Major Beaver design.,tes the King of Kandy as "the 11Snrper,"
a term of reproach which ill, 1 believe, not employed by Mr
Cordiner.-Unaud Service JIJffT"l441829, part ii. pp. 708, 709.
100 BISTOBIOAL ~DTOJI
.
The following account of the surrender of the party.
on the 26th June. and the subsequent massacre of the
Europeans. is in a great measure derived from the
testimony of Kandyans. A flag of truce was sent by
the adikar to Major Davie on the 26th. conveying a
proposal that he, together with two officers, should meet'
the adikar and two other Kandyan chiefs, at a place
about half-way between the ferry and Kandy. for the
alleged purpose of finally arranging the measures which
were required to convey the troops across the river, and
to assist them through the Kandyan territory towards
Trincomalee. Major Davie complied with the proposal
of the adikar. and. accompanied by Captains Rumley
and Humphreys. and a Malay officer named Odeen. or
perhaps N ouradeen, proceeded to the place appointed
for the conference. Here they met three chiefs, but not
the adikar. The chiefs informed Major Davie that the
king wished to have an interview with the English
officers at the palace. for the purpose of negotiating with
them in person. Odeen. who was in all probability the
interpreter, strongly remonstrated with the Major againat
proceeding to the palace, but in vain. Major Davie.
having been apparently in some degree satisfied by the
assurances of the chiefs that no deception was intended,
and hoping. perhaps. that he might promote the retreat
of the troops. gave his assent to accompany them to the
king. By so doing, he committed an irreparable mis-
take ; but it may. at the same time. be stated, that when
he assented to proceed to Kandy. the troops had been
two days and nights without shelter. and probably with-
. out dressed food of any kind ; and that. as he never
gave any account of the transaction himself. any opinion
which may be entertained of his conduct must be formed
from ve.ry imperfect 8Jld even doubtful information.
j
Besides, it is always an easy matter to judge of actions
after they have happened : the difficulty of an under-
taking consists in foreseeing its probable result. The
writer most cordially concurs with the following senti-
ments of Major Forbes, in regard to this melancholy
catastrophe. " We may," says the Major, "mitigate
our severe opinion of the indefensible acts of this unfor~
tunate commander, by imagining how much the scenes
of sickness and suffering which he constantly witnessed
may have affected his mind. We also see that his
superiors, with better opportunities of information, were
equally the dupes, and only by good fortune escaped
becoming the victims of Kandyan treachery."
On reaching the town of Kandy, the three English
officers were made prisoners, and confined separately.
Odeen resisted the Kandyans in their attempts to secure
him, and died on the spot, having been nearly cut to
pieces. The Major and the other two officers having
been secured, as has been already stated, the Kandyans
adopted the following stratagem to induce the British
troops to give up their arm,, which proved but too suc-
cesaful. A deserter from the Malay corps, a half-caste
drummer, was despatched by the Kandyan chiefs to
Watapologa ferry, with instructions to inform the
English officers that he had been dire1.,,t,ed by Major
Davie to convey his orders to them to give up their arms
to the Kandyans, and to return forthwith to Kandy,
thence to be sent, by the Gonarooa ferry and the route
of the Four Corles, to Colombo, an agreement having
been made to that effect with the king. On the delivery
of this message, it is alleged that a council was held by
the officers, at which Mootoo Sawmy was present. This
spirited Hindoo is said to have warmly remonstrated
against the officen entertaining the question of ordering
102 DISTORIOAL SKETCR.
the troops to give up their arm!!, and submitting to the

king. " Will you, the brave Engli11h," said he, ... who
have conquered all India, give up your arm11, and put
yourselves in the power of the cowardly, treacherous
Kandyans, who, the moment they can do it with
impunity, will put you all to death? Rather march
back to Kandy, where a few di11eharge11 from your muskets
will disperse the Kandyan force, and give you possession
of the town. You have provisions for a day or two,
during which period the river may subside, by which
means you may pursue your retreat to Trincomalee."
The oflicer11, it would seem, determined otherwise. We
have, however, no satisfacitory account of this part of the
melaneboly transaction. It is alleged that they directed
the troops to give up their arm11, which was doue, and the
native troops. consisting of the Malays and gun Lasean,
11ere made prisonen. Mootoo Sawmy was at this time
given up to the Kandyans, who conveyed him back to
Kandy, and forthwith put him to death. The above
information respecting the m11ans adopted by the
Kandyan chiefs to seduce Major Davie from his men at
the ferry, and the deception employed by them to iudur,e
the troops to believe that the Major had directed tl1em
to surrender their arm11, together with the fatal result,
was communicated to Mr Simon Sawers in the year
1823, by one of the three chiefs who were employed
on the occasion, Mullegamme Dit1save, whoso infonna,
tion was confirmed by the family of Millawa Disaave
of Valessy, another of the three chiefs already men-
tioned.-(Simon Sawer,' MS. Note,.)
Soon after Major Davie and the troops left Kandy, all
the sick in h011pital, to the number of 120, were put to
death, aa they lay incapable of resistance.-( OONiner,
voL ii. p. 124.) General Brownrigg, in his official
J
declaration of the settlement of the government in 1815,

state11 that the number of men killed in hospital was
.150 ; but upon what authority his statement differs from
that of Cordiner I am ignorant. Major Beaver, who
belonged to the 19th regiment, and who was much
employed in the war, states that the number killed in
hospital was about 149.
The European soldiers having given up their arms,
and been abandoned by the Malaya and Sepoys, did as
they were desired, a.nd returned, in small detached
parties, (Barnsley says two by two,) along the road to
Kandy for a short. way, when they were led into a small
hollow or dell, out of sight of their companions. Here
they were put to death, mo1tly with the butt.end of a mus-
ket or large club. Ooe person only of the whole number,
Corporal Ban1sley, 19th regiment, escaped to tell the
sad tale. This man wae, in bis turn, led into the
detl with a companion ; and, when he reached the place
of slaughter, was knocked down by the' .butt-end of
a musket, and desperately Wounded with a tulwar, or
large Kandyan knife, across the back of the neck.
When he received the all but mortal blow, he fell to the
ground, and rolled over a precipitoua bank into the
water-course of. a rice field, where be was left for dead.
Here he lay for some time, and, in that, situation,
alleges that be heard some desultory firing. Having so
far reeov~red as to be able to move, be crept into the
jnngle, where he lay concealed during the night, and
towards morning crawled to the ferry, with the view
of endeavouring to cross the river, and to walk to
Fort .Maedowal. By the time Barnsley reached the
ferry, the flood in the river had, in some measure, sub-
United SeniceJoarnal, 1819, lid pan, p. 709.
lM Bl8TO:RICAL SKETCH.
sided, and the ordiD&J'Y ferryman had reaumed hie

occupation with hia small canoe. To the honour of
human nature, the heart of the ferryman was melted
with compassion upon seeing the miserable spectacle
Barnsley preseot.ed, and at the risk of hie own life, not
only ferried him aer088 the river, but also .gave him the
small portion of rice which he had in his canoe. At this
time Barnsley had not tasted food for two days. The
kindoeu which was thus shown by the ferryman having
become koo,rn to the Eogliab in 1815, aearch was made
for him shortly after the troops took po88888ioo of
Kandy. He was, with 80Dle diflicolty, discovered, when
he received a present from General Brownrigg.
Fort Maodowal bad been for three days in a state of
blockade, being complet.ely IUl'l'Oonded by the eneipy,
when Barnsley arrived and informed Captain Madge,
the commandant, of the fate ol the Kandyao garrison.
Repeat.ed offers had been made to him of a passport to
Trinoomalee, with the whole of his sick and baggage, on
condition of surrendering,-proposals which be. con-
tinued to reject. When Barnsley approached the ~
be was discovered by the enemy, who availed themselYes
of his serriees, and sent him forward with a &Ilg of
troce, in the hope that his communication of the capture
of Kandy would induce Captain Madge to capitulate. t
At Fort Macdowal, Corporal Bamsley made a formal de-
claration or deposition of the surrender of Kandy, and
the massacre of tho Europeans, before the officers of the
garrison. This deposition hu been published by Captain
i.. our information respecting t.be kindly offlcu of the ferry-

man depends upon the authority of Kandyans, and u is ia Tinn-
ally contradicted by Bamaley's statement, 101De dOllbs may be
entertained with regard &o it trnthflllneH,
t Captahl Jobnaiou', Narrative, p. 11.
Johnston, as an appendix to his Narrative. Barnsley,
on becoming convalescent, requested a friend to draw up
a narrative of his return to Trincomalee. Both of these
documents, the Deposition and Narrative, the writer has
subjoined. ( See Appendix, No. IV.)
Captain Madge, on learning the fate of the troops in
Kandy, determined to commence a retreat to Trinco-
malee, a distance of 126 miles, before the enemy could be
fully aware of his intentions. The garrison consisted of
Captain Madge, as commandant, Captain Pierce, 19th
regiment, Mr Gillespie, assistant-surgeon, and Lieuten~
ant Driburgh of the Malay .corps, thirty-two men of the
ltth regiment, nineteen of whom were sick and unable
to march, and twenty-two Malay soldiers. ' Having re-
solved to abandon the sick. he spiked the guns, and
made the requisite arrangements for evacuating the fort,
which he did after the moon had sunk behind the hills,
or about ten o'clock. on the 27th June. The lamps of
the garrison wero left burning, and the retreat was com-
menced in silence. The enemy were not long, however,
in discovering that Captain Madge had left the fort, and
pursuing him. For about four days he was exposed to
their hostile attacks, at the end of which period he was
met 1f.r a detachment of 150 men of the Malay regiment,
proceeding from Trincomalee to reinforoo the garrison
of Kandy. The combined force retreated to Trinco-
Bamaley mut have been an illiterate man. the declaration he

made at l!'on Macdowal being marked wiih the sign of the Cl'Olla.
Shortly after hia recovery, and return to duty, he waa promoted to
the rank of serjeant ; but, in a few months after, having go& a
lime in liquor on the barrack gnard of the cantonment, he wu
vied by a ooun-martial, and reduced to the ranks. He did dm,
u a printe until 1805, when he wu Nnt home along with other
diaabled men. Having been transferred io a veteran C01Pf1t he wu
OD duty at For& George in 1811. .
E2
D1g1tized by Google
108 DISTORICAL 8JtETCII.
ma.lee, which ,they reached on the 3d July, unmolested by

the Kandyans. Lieutenant JJriburgh died the day after
be arrived at that garrison,
The promptitude with which the retreat was under
taken, and the skill and courage with wbich it was
eft'ected, thereby rescuing a part of the troops from the
melancholy fate of their deYoted 1U111ociatee, reflects
the highest credit on the military talents of Captain
Madge. He nwst, however, have left the nineteen 1ick
with great regret, being well aware that they would be
forthwith put to death when they fell into the hands of
t,he Kandyans.
The post of Dambacliniya, in the Seven Corlee,
situated about sixty miles from Kandy, on the Colombo
road, was garrisoned by a few invalids, under .the com-
mand of Ensign Grant, who had distinguished himself b7
his gallantry and activity during the war, Ho was re-
peatedly summoned by the Kandyans to give up the
post, bat do;;linod to listen to their proposals. He
strengthened bis fortifications with bags of rice and
other stores, and sustained an almost incessant fire from
a body of several thousand Kandyans for ton days. On
the 2d July, tho garrison was brought off by a body of
troops from Colombo,
Captain lladge's subsequent fate was a very unfortunate one,
At a ~neral court-menial held at Colombo, 13th January 1806, he
wu tried for delivering a message from Major Bonner, 19th
regiment, io the Captains of' the 19th regiment, in December I 80:11
containing a mis-atatement derogatory to the character, and 111h-
Yenive of the authority of the commander of the forces ; and,
having been found guilty, he was 1e11tenced to be reprimanded in
the aeverest and moat public manner. Al Major Houner had been
c:a..hiered for aending the mllllll8ge in quatiou, hill Majesty deaired
it so be intimated to Captain Madge, " that hill Majesty does nv&
conaider him a fit pel'IOD to bear bis Majeaty'a commiuiou, and
shat ho ahonld retire from the Nl'Vice, aelling his commialioD for
the regtllated price."
0tg,1i,ed by Gqog le
ENOLISB PERIOD, 1803. 107
, Thus tell the laat of our poats in the Kandyan country :

and, in the course of tei:i days from the retaking of the
C!'pital, not an inch of ground remained to us bey"nd
our original frontier.
. At head-quarters much dissatisfaction was expressed
with Mr North and the council, on account of the
fearfully disastrous consequence of their measures; evea
before the report of the massacre of the garrison of
Karidy had reached Colombo. At length a Lascoreyn,
and, in a few days, a Malay soldier, who had made their
eacape from Kandy, arrived at Colombo, and gave an
account of the massacre of the troops, but their 'state-
ment was at first scarcely believed. It was not until a
communication had been received from Trincomalee,
containing an account of the escape of Barnsley, and his
description of what he had seen and suffered, that the
full extent of the loss we had sustained was known and
credited.
Whether the king or the adikar was the chief author
of the massacre of the troops, it ia difficult to ascertain.
The king attributed the horrid transaction to the adikar ;
and there is some reason to believe that bis statement
was well-founded. By putting the troops to death, the
adikar not only gratified his revenge against the English,
'fhom he disliked, but he gained another desirable ob-.
ject,-he rendered the king, whom he hated, odiou~ ~
the English government. But when a discreditable
action is committed, the participators are very apt to
differ in regard to the degree of blame which should
attach to each.
I may now advert to the fate of the three officers who
were made prisoners at Kandy, namely, Major Davie
&!ld Captains Rumley and Humphreys. The two cap--
~ died soon alter tliey were made priaonen. Majot
108 BISTOBJCAL SKETCH.
Dane was for some time detained at Kandy, but under

strict " ' ~ to prevent his escaping. He wu
aftenvda removed to the pl'OTince of Doombera ; and,
in 1810, a plan was in agitation, by a few Kandyan
Malaya, to carry him off, through the Vedab forests, to
the fort of Batticallo, where they expected, no doubt,
to be well rewarded by the British government. This
plot having been discovered while it was still in em-
bryo, Major Davie, then swfering from ill health, was
brought to Kandy, and expired in Malabar Street
a few days after he reached the capital. The Malaya
who int.ended to liberate Major Dane were outlaws,
who had been implicat.ed in one of the several conapi
Ma,ior Adam :0.vie wu a eon or the late Mr J'ohn Davie,

,veil known in Edinburgh by the cognomen or Sootg Davi& Mr
Davie having become acquainted with the celebrated Dr Hutton,
they rormed a oopartnenhip, and engaged in the manulactun or
,al-iac from coal-aoot, which waa carried on in Edinburgh
f'or many years with c.onaiderable aucceu. Adam Davie obtained
a lieutenancy iu the 75th Regiment in 1787, and iu 1793 he waa
promo&ed to a company in the same corps. Having been em-
ployed recruiting in Edinburgh, he did not join the 7 5th Regiment
until he had obtained the rank or captain, couequently, he waa
Dot preeent with the corps during it.I dil&ingaishedsemces in India.
He appean never to haft aeen any active service while he waa in
the 7ith Regiment. In 1801, he waa promoted to a majority in
KaJor Champagne's lnfimtry, a regiment of Malaya. He is de-
Bibed by th01e who knew him u being a well-di8poeed, inoffim-
RTil man, without any practical experienee of homle military ope-
rations. While he waa in India, he waa tried by a COIU1rmardal
ror " ableouding," and acquitted, Having had a short leave from
the head-quarters or the 75th Regiment, then stationed on the
Malabar coaet, and being at Bombay, he obtained leave or abeence,
and permiaion to proceed to Europe, from the commander or tile
fon:ea, without any reference having been made to the commanding
oflleer or the regiment. He embarked at Bombay; but, u thl!
lhip touched a& one or the portl on, the coaet, he wu taken Oil
more, and placed under arrest, by otder or the commanding ofllcer
or the 7 5th Regiment, and sub&equently brought heron a comt-
mar&ial.
Digitized by Gqog Ie
ENGLISH PERIOD, 180S. 109
raoiea which had been concerted to 888&88inate the king.
It ie alleged that our pernment made several att.empta
to negotiate with the court of Kandy for the liberation
of .Major Davie ; but the king having demanded for the
ransom of his prieoner a sea-port on the coast, the British
govemment refused to accede to his terms.
The Malays who had been made priaonen ofwar in
Kandy wero separated into four parties, and quartered
in clitferent parts of the country, where they were care-
fully watched by the natives. By expressing a wish to
assist the Kandyans in their predatory excursions into
the maritime provinces, many of the prisoners, including
the gun Lasears, succeeded, in a few months, in making
their escape and reaching Colombo.- ( Oot"dinw, vol. ii.
p. 220.)
The total loBB of life sustained by the British troops
during the campaign was never publicly stated. The
loss of the 19th Regiment, which was in part employed
at Trincomalee, and in part at Kandy, during the year
1803, was as follows :-Th& mean strength of the corps
Mrs Heber states, that " Major Davie's life waa spared from
a kind of honourable feeling, aa being the individual with whom
the u-eaty had been made; but he spent the remainder of hia life
at Kandy, unnoticed by the Europeans, and at laat adopted the
dress and habita ofthe natives." On this puaage it is only neeee-
aary to obeene, that there were no Europeans in the Kandyan
country to notice Major Davie, but one other prisoner, a ioldier
named Thoen, who waa not allowed to communicate with him.
In the "Jourual of a Tour in Ceylon," it is obviou that Mn
Heber has, on several occasions, misunderstood her informanta, or
lhe baa been hoaxed by them. Her &cCOUDt of the "Flying Leech,"
" an animal," ahe naively obeenes, " ahe never heard of before,"
a amking example of her eaaineas of belie Major Dalie, ia
all probability, did adopt the dress of the natives, and ued the
aame kind of food aa they did, for this plain reason, that he could
get no other.
110 IDBTOUICAL SKETCH.
,raa 843, and the mo~ity 338, being in the proportion .

of 400 per 1000, or 4 lOtha of the whole strength.
The fatal consequences of exposure to an insalubrious
climate, combined with great fatigue and privations of
food, rest, &c., continue for a considerable period after
troops have been removed to another station, and better
supplied with provisions. Hence the mortality of the
19th Regiment, during the year 1804, was unusually
high, the mean 1.1trengtb being 642, and the deaths 128,
or in the proportion of 200 per 1000, I.5th of the.
whole strength. In 1805, the proportion of mortality
was 83 per 1000, being not much above the average.
annual mortality of the garri11on of Trincomalee.
The following is an attempt to account for the 300.
Europeans left in Kandy, on the 1st April, derived.
from the imperfect materials which are available. On
the 15th April, 55 were sent on detachment to Fort.
Macdowal; of this numher 19 were slaughtered, and 13
escaped with Captain Madge; 19, exclusive of officers,
were put to death at Watapologa Ferry, and 120 in.
hospital. In brief, thus : -
Massacred at Fort Macdowal, , , ..... ... .. 19}

-- Watapologa, ..................... ~ ....... 19 158
-- in Hospi:al, ..................... ... ...... 120
Escaped to Trincomalee from Fort Macdowal, ............. 13
from Kandy,............. ,.......... 1
Died from 1st April to 24th Jnne, ........................... 12!1
300
I have followed Cordiner's account ; but, if General

Brownrigg's ltatement be correct, namely, that 150:
men were in hospital, then the number who died, from
The elem?ntary materials for these numerical reaulta were .

carefully .u,cncted from the regimmtal record,,
0tg,1i,ed by Google
UGLISH PEBIOD, 1808, 111
lit April till 24:th June, will be 98, and the number
killed 189, which, with 11 officers, makes the total
number put to death 200.
To kill captives taken in war formed the common war
law of ancient nations, among whom the prisoners cap-
ab~o of bearing arms wete not only put to death, but
,rere often previously subjected to the most horrid and
barbarous iutlictions. The vanquished were, in &ome
instances, maimed by chopping off their thumbs and
gr.eat toes, by which means they could neither effectually
wield the weapons of war, nor maroh with ease, (Judges
i. 6, 7,) The Mahommedan law, and the usages of war
in Oriental countries, do not discountenance a breach of
good faith to an invading enemy. Nominal Christians,
eYen in modern times, have barbarously butchered
prisoners of war without much loss of character. On
the 7th March 1790, Bonaparte stormed Jafl'a, which
was bravely defended by several thousand Tu1ks : 1500
men of the garrison held out in the fort and other build-
ings, until at last they surrendered as prisoners of war.
T1ro days after, on the 9th, about 1200 of these were
marched out of Jaft'a, tied together with cords in the
centre of a battalion, commanded by General Bon.
Having reached the 1.18.nd-bills south,east of Jaffa, and
there being divi,led into small bodies, they were pot-
to death in masses by volleys of musketry. Those
who fell wounded were despatched with tho bayonet.
Such was the mauacre at Jaffa, which Bonaparte, at
St Helena. attempted to justify, by saying that these
men bad belonged to other surrendered garrisons, who
had been allowed to return home on condition of uoti
sening against the French. This account of the,
butchery at Jaffa will remind the reader of the slaughter,
of the tr1>ops at.Kandy and Watapologa; but,. notwith(1
112 BISTORIOAL BDTOB.
standing the atrocious conduct of Bonaparte, he did not

loae caste among the great ones of the earth on account
of this example of barbarous severity. In our own
country, prisonen of war wer~ not long ago, made
slaves. The captives taken at the battles of Dunbar
and Worcester, (1650 and 1651,) amounting to from
16,000 to 17,000 persons, were sold as slaves to the
Plantations, It was loug before even Christian nations
considered it necessary or expedient to treat their
prisoners with humanity, or to liberate them without
the payment of a large ransom.
Christianity is certainly calculated to exalt and mend
human nature, and to promote a benevolent disposition ;
but its etfeets in mitigating the barbarities of war, and
improving the treatment of captives, have not been so
extensive and etfeetual as could be wished. According
to Paley, " The influence of religion is not to be sought
for in the councils of princes, in the debates or resolu-
tions of popular assemblies, in the conduct of govern,
ments towards their subjects, or of states and sovereigns
towards one another, of conqueron at the head of their
armies," &co(Etnd6ncu of Owtianity, Chap. vii.)
On the 11th of April, when the 51st Regiment re-
turned from Kandy to Colombo, about 400 men
appeared under arms on parade; in little more than
. two months, 300 of that number were in their graves;
chiefly from jungle fever.
Another example of the insalubrity of the climate in
1803 may be mentioned. On the 13th March 1803, the
grenadier company of the 65th Regiment, consisting of
three offl.qers and seventy-five men, marched, under the
command of Captain Bullock, from Colombo to Kotta-
dinia, a small post in the Seven Corles ; and, at the encl
of one month from the commencement of ~e march;
ENGL18B PERIOD, 1803. Jl3
Lieutenant Hutchins and two printes were the M1ly
persons of the party who remained alive. Lieutenant
Hutchins was subsequently attacked with fever, bnt he
recovered, having gone to sea. Subjoined, I have given
a classified return of tlle mortality which occurred among
...he commissioned military oflicen employed in Ceylon,
together with the gentlemen of the Ceylon Ciril Serrice,
in the year 1803 and beginning of 1804, exclueive of the
oflicen taken in Kandy:-
~ :rr.,,,,,,,,. 1tMl.
19th, - one Lieut.-ColOJ!el,
51st, - - one Surgeon.
- seven Lieutenanu.
65th, - one
one Captain,
- Lieutenant.
73d, -
Malay Regiment, -
-- one
one
Lieut.-Colonel.
Captain.
- four Lieutenanu.
- three Ensigns.
Ceylon Infantry, - - one
-
two Lieutenanu.
Ensign.
But India Company's Serrice, one Major,
Ceylon Civil Service, - -

one
eight.
Lieutenant.
Mr North communicated an account of the catas-

trophe which had happened in Kandy to the home
government, in a despatch addressed to Lord Hobart,
one of his Majesty's principal secretaries of state, dated
Colombo, 8th July 1803. The facts relating to the
abandonment of the town of Kandy by Major Davie,
and the subsequent massacre of the European portion of
the troops, contained in the despatch, were derived from
a native Laseoreyu, who waa in the town of Kandy when
it was attacked on the 24th June, and who had found his
way to Colombo, where he was swom to the truth of his
atatement.-(Artnual Bigiltfr, 1803, p. 550,)
114 HISTORICAL 8KETCJI.
The Rev. Mr Confiner concludes his acconnt..t ibe

mauacre at Watapologa with the following obeena-
tions:-" Some of the embarr. .menta which dietre1aed
our unfortouate eou11tr,1men may not yet be kno,rn, bn&
it ia too certain that, in an evil hour, the majority of
tbem, after haring consulted together, abandoned them
selves to the meroy of the Kand,1ans." The informa-
tion which baa been published in regard to the meaaares
On the 14th March 11104, llr Creev movecl in the House of

Commons for certain papel'B and d~umenta, for the purpose of
information, and a ground for further inquiry P..specting the war
which the king'd government in Ceylon had been carrying on ill
&he island. On this occusion, he exprcased himself as follows : -
" I beg to nd vert to a very cruel and unfeeling account that
hu lately been published by his lilitjesty's ministers, purporting to
be a dei<patch from the government of Cey'on, and giving an
account of the murder of onr gurriaon at Kandy. ThiH letter, Sir,
ii an attempt to account for the tlnnl disasters of this wur, and
which rest entirely with the governor, by insinuations the mott
la&a1 to the honour and ch11racter of a British officer, who hu
fought and 'll'ho baa perished in the service of his country ; and
this, Sir, in the ahaenre of any &pet'ies of testimony on which such
illainuations could be founded. I do entreat this house, in behalf
of the character of that moa,t unfortunate officer, to recollect how
he wu situated. There were only two hundred troops; 160 of
&hem were Hick in their beds, the remaining 40, I presume, were
not very healthy. They were surrounded by (at leaat) 10,000
Kandyans, they were cut off from provisions, and were sixty milea
from our ne11rcst aettlementa. In thiH situation, they were ordered
by our new ally, the first adikar, to lay down their arms, and they
were deserted by the Malaya in our aenice. Does any man belie'l"e
it to be physically po8Bible th11t tbe11e forty men, ao unhappily cir-
cumstanced, could have cut their way throuj[h all these difficulties P
Of thia, at leut, we may be certain, th.:t, had they attempted 10
to do, the 160 who were aick would have been murderecl. I con-
tend, then, th11t if, in the absence of all testimony respecting the
conduct of that unfortunate officer, we allow ourselves to ~peculate
upon his motive,, we are bound, in faime11, to belie'l"e that he wu
influenced by a very natunil and generous 1ympathy for thia greal
majority of his sick and helplesa fellow-soldiers; and that, in
acting he did, he consulted whnt he conceived to be the belt
not only for hme1f alone, bat for the whole garrison of Kandy." ..
0tg,1i,ed by Google
I
UGLJSII PJ,;BJOD, 1803. 115
adopted by Major Daie during the ttrelft er thirteen

days, he was inYested wR1a the paramount authority of
commandant of Kandy, is not sati8fact.ory; being neither
soflcientJy compreheneiYe, nor, perhape,altogeiher trus~
worthy. A briefrecapitulation ofthe information wbioh
ia QODBidered tolerably well-fonnrled respecting the cir-
cumstances connected with the garrison, may, howe't'er,
be'addnced for the purpeee of exhibiting the difficulties of
Major Darie's situation. On the 28th'March, a conven-
tion was concluded between General Macdowal, on the
part of the British Government, and his majesty Mootoo
~ Sawmy, the illustrious Lord Pilimi Talawa, and the other
nobles of the court of Kandy, by which certain articles
were agreed upon, and that a truce or ce11ation ofa'l'ffll
should immediately take place between the contracting
powers, and continue until the terms of the convention
were fulfilled.-( Vide Appendix III.) Thie con't'ention
was confirmed, in all its provisions, by Governor North
and Pilimi Talawa, at Dambadiniya, on the 3d llay.
General Macdowal left Colombo on the 16th, and reached
Kandy on tl1e 23d May. Here be remained. until the
11th June, when he returned to Colombo, It is to be
presumed that General Macdowal had made himself
acquainted with the defences of the position, the condi-
tion of the commissariat store11, &n., and ,that he issued
the requisite instructions to Major Davie in regard to
the execution of his duties.
. Major Davie succeeded to the command of Kandy on
the death of Col nel Barbot, au event which took place'
on the 21st May; but while Gene~l Macdowal remained
in Kandy, he wu, from his rank, the 1'811ponsible authority.
Major Davie'e paramount control of the gauison did not,
therefore, take place until the 11th June; being, how
ever, still bound, by the terms of the treat,r. to preaen
. DigitizedbyGoogle
116 BISTOBICAL SKETCH.
a perfect cessation of arms. On the 13th June, two day

after Major Davie had become the responsible com-
mandant, he l'!'Ceived a letter from the adikar, recom-
mending him to undertake another expedition to Hanga-
. ranketty ; but the Major being more suspicious of-
the honesty or good faith of our ally thari Mr North,
did not follow his suggestion. The truce was broken on
the 23d. June, by the Kandyans having, on that day~
eeiled the post.a of Giriagamme and Galgederah. On
the 24th, Kandy was attacked. The result has already
been told, both according to the accodnt of Cordiner,
alld the authority of the Kandyan chiefs who were ,
employed as emissaries of the adikar on the occasion in
question. Taking into consideration the condition of
Major Davie as commandant of Kandy, comprehending
the meuures of his superiors, and the force of circum-
at.ancea, it may he asked what could he have done, after
General .Macdonl left Kandy, which would have enabled
him to repulse the enemy in the event of his being
attacked, or averted the evils which occurred ? All the
information which has been obtained respecting the con-
duct of Major Davie, and the other officers who marched
from Kandy for Watapologa Fen-y, on the afternoon of
the 24th'June, is insufficient to warrant our attempting to
arrive at any very sati11factory conclusion in regard to
their reapeotive responsibilities. Considering the ex-
hausted and unprepared state of the troops for enduring
fatigue, together with the alleged infidelity of the Malays,
what would have been the result bad they succeeded in
crossing the Maha Villa Ganga? Would a 1ingle man of
the party have eaoaped the boatile vigilance of 10,000 men
then at Kandy, together with the population on the mad
to Trincomalee? In all probability, the fat.a of the brave
-Oonatantine de Saa and hi army in Uwa awaited them.
0tg,1i,ed by Google
ENGLISH PBR10D1 1868: 117
But, indeed, that result would have, in some respects,

been better than that which actually happened.
Kr Knighton, in his recent History of Ceylon, accuses
Major Davie of " misconduct," with perhaps too mucb
preoipitation, and adduces, u a proof of what he might
have accomplished under the circumstances in which he
was placed, the example of Captain Johnston in 1804,
oo what he calla a similar emergency. Major Beaver,
.in his account of the Kandyan war, and Mr Cordiner, in
his account of the Kandyan campaign in 1803, are both
very cautious in attributing misconduct to Major Davie.
Mr Cordiner, who was intimate with Mr North, and had
the best opportunities of acquiring whatever information
could be obtained regarding Kandyan affairs at the period
in question, observes, that " u no English officer who
was present at the fall of Kandy has yet appeared to
give an account of the causes which led to it, and the
subsequent disasters, they are still inolved in much
obscurity;" and, u if we except the Kandyan account.
no more circumstantial and authentic detail of the
transactions has, since that time, appeared, it behoves
us to be very cautious in imputing blame to an officer,
who is universally admitted to have been placed in the
most perilous condition, chiefly because he was not suc-
cessful under circumstances where what may be called
success wu in all probability impossible. By compar-
ing the condition of Major Davie and his party with that
of Captain Madge at Fort Maodowal, and Captain John-
ston, it will appear that he was in an infinitely more
hopeless and helpless predicament than either of these
officers. The Major's party at Watapologa ooasisted of
14: oillcers, 20 European soldiers, e.J:bausted with disease,
fatigue, and privations of every kind, 250 Malaya, whose
tldelity was deeervedly auspected, and 14:0 gun Lascars,
118 BI8TOBICAL SKETCH.
a species of troops not presumed to be acquainted with

the use of the firelock. Be was without provisions.
and without the means of conveying proriaious. Bia
ammunition must hav6. been very scanty, if he had any
but what might be in the cartouch-boxes. The task he
had to perform was to crOBB a rapid unfordable river, in
the face of a hostile fore&, said to amount to many
thousands, and to march 142 miles, ( Cordirur,) opposed
by a vigilant adverse population.
Captain Madge's detachment consisted of 4 oflicen,
13 efficient European soldiers, and 22 Malaya. He had
abundance of provisions for his journey,,as well as am-
munition. The length of his march was 126 milee, and
he had to resist the hostile. attacks of the enemy for only
four days, having met a reinforcement of fresh troops Olll
the road.
Captain Johnston's detachment, when h6 commenced
his march from .Battica.Uo, consisted of 7 officers, 75
European soldiers, 202 Malay and Sepoy soldiers, 550
pioneers and coolies. By the time he reached Kandy, he
had three men killed and two wounded. On leaving
Kandy, he had abundance of rice, a.nd an ample supply
of ammunition. He was eleven days on his retreat from
Kandy to Trincomalee. His casualties of killed, wollDded,
and missing, were as follow :-:-2 European officers, It
European soldiers, 7 Malays, 54 Bengal Sepoys. No
account is rendered of the pioneers and coolies.
The result of Captain Johnston's expedition is but very
little calculated to induce us to conclude that Major
Davie could, by any measure he might have adopted,
have saved the life of a.single European of bis party.
The following is a list of the officers who belonged to
the garrison of Kandy when it waa attacked on the 24th
June:-
~GLISH PERIOD, 1803. 119
Major Adam Davio, Ceylon Regiment, (Malay&)

Captain& Humphreys, Bengal Artillery,
Rumley, Ceyfon Uegiment.
-Llenienanta Blakeney, }
t Plenderleath, 19 th Regiment.
Byne,
Maclame, :
Or:r.eby, 51st Regiment
.Mercer, Ceylon Regiment.
Ensigns Smith, 19th Ucgiment.
Bany,
Fanthome, } Ceylon Regiment.
Gaupil,
Asst. Surgeon Hollaway, Bengal Artillery.
Hope,
Quartermaster Brown, } 19th Regiment.
. The Kandyans followed up their succe88 by endeavour-

ing to seduce the native subjects of the British govern-
ment from their allegiance, and to excite dieeatisfaction
in various parts of the maritime territory. By these
means, it is presumed, they hoped -to overcome the
remnant of our troops. Towards the end of July, all
our K~ndyan frontiers were threatened by warlike ae-
aemblies, nearly at the same time. In the months of
August aud S.11ptember, they poured down from the
mountains, and by cajoliug some, and intimidating
others, prevailed on many of the native inhabitants of
our own settlements to join them, the ultimate object
being to accelerate our expulsion from the island. '.rhe
irruption of the Kandyans into our settlements extended
from Hambantotte on the south coast, round the whole
west and north coast, to the small fort of Mullativoe;
north from Trincomalee. On the 20th August, the
Lieutenant Blakeney was killed in action on the 24th Jone.

. t Lieutenant Plenderleath died on the same day in con,eq~a
of hi& wounda.
120 BISTOJUCAL 8DTCB,
enemy J,ook the small fort of Hangwelle, about twenty

miles from Colombo, and next day they advanced to
within fourteen or fifteen mile11 of that capital, at which
the burghen in the anburba became alarmed, and many
of them took shelter in the garrison.
Reinforcements having arrived from the Cape of Good
Hope and Bengal, our government determined upon
measures of retaliation ; and now commenced a war of
devastation ; detachments of British troops having en-
tered the Kandyan country for the express purpose of
laying it waste wherever they were able to penetrate,
and of destroying whatever could be destroyed.
When we read of British troops being '4. employed in
burning and destroying all the houses, store11, and gar-
dens in the rich province of S&ft'ra.g&m, "-one detach-
ment having destroyed 800 Kandyan houses, and many
other parts of the comtry having been e:q,9sed to similar
scenes of plunder and devast&tion,-we tum from the
recital with disgust, ao.d our hearts will not suffer us to
adm.it that the plea of vengeance coald sanction snob
enormities. On one occasion, we are informed that a
detachment plundered a pagoda, or pl&ce of religious
wonhip, in Saff'ragam, which contained a large quantity
of copper and silver coins. The Malay soldien belonging
to the detachment refused to ac.cept a share of the plun-
der, and the common coolies would neither enter the
pagoda nor touch the coins. The offence of violating or
profaning and plundering a temple held sacred by
Buddhists, was committed by the European troops, and
by them alone. The reverend historian who records
these atrocities expresses no commiseration for the suf-
feriugs of the unoft'endiog inhabitants ; inflicts no een-
SUl'e on the detachment for committing sacrilege ; in-
deed, be seems to regret that the party was unable to
ENGLISH PERIOD, 180S. 121
bring away all the beautiful elephants' tusk!!, and other

curious articles which the temple contained. He attri
. butes the refusal of the Malay soldiers to share in the
plunder to superstition.-( Cordiner, vol. ii. pp. 256 and
258.) .
The ill-directed zeal of the Portuguese, which led
them to regard a conversion to the Christian faith as a
necessary test of allegiance from those o.ver whom they ,
exercised dominion, was of itself an insuperable bar to
their success in the conquest of Ceylon, while the bad
faith and rapacity of the Dutch inspired the natives of
the interior with a dread of their power and influence,
which no consideration was sufficiently powerful to re-
move. It must be admitted that the incursions of our
troops into the Kandya.n territory, during the years
1803 and 1804, were calculated to fill the population
with the most unfavourable opinion of our justice and
humanity, and to confirm their worst prejudices against
the European race.
About this time, Pilimi Talawa renewed his treason-
able correspondence with Mr North, wqo, having learned
to entertain some doubts respecting the good faith of his
former ally, did not respond to his communications.
The adikar must have had great confidence in the cre-
dulity of the English, or he would not, after all that
had happened, have had the effrontery to renew an epis-
tolary correspondence with the governor.
The army having been strengthened by the arrival of
the 65th Regiment from England, and reinforcements
from Madras and Bengal, it was resolved by the local
government, in August 1804, again fo invade the Kan-
dyan country.
From the magnitude of the army about to be em-
ployed, it w.as resolved to divide it into six columns or
F
D1g1tized by Google
122 .HISTORICAL SKETCH.
divisfons, which should march separately from different

stations, so as to concentrate in the vicinity of the capital.
By these means, it was hoped that each division would
be able to procure conveyance, (coolies,) the great desi-
deratum, for its own immediate wants in the district
from which it was to march.
General Wemyss, who bad succeeded General Mae-
dowal in the command of the forces, desirous of ll,8()8r
taining, by personal inspection, the state of the detach-
ments at the different stations, and of inquiring into
the practicability and eligibility of the different routes,
made a tour of the maritime parts of the island, accom-
panied by the adjutant-general, in the month of August
1804. At Batticallo, he explained to Captain Johnston.
the commandant, as one of those officers selected to
command a division, the meditated expedition, and his
views respecting the combined attack on Kandy. From
Batticallo, the general proceeded to Trincomalee, whence
Captain Johnston shortly afterwards received a letter
from the adjutant-general, bearing date 3d September,
and another letter from J aft'napatam, dated 8th Sep-
tember ; the purport of both of these letters, according
to his interpretation of them, bei,ng to direct him to
equip a force of Europeans and natives, and t.o pro-
ceed with it to the enemy's country, so as to be pre
pared to co-operate with the other divisions, which were
expected to form a general junction on the heights of
Kandy on the 28th or 29th September, for the purpose
of destroying the enemy's capital. The letter from Jaft'~
napatam contains the following passage:-" You tcill,
in junction with the other detachment,, concert ,uch .,nea-
sure, a, will be,t tend to effect the greate,t <leca,tation and
injury to the enemy, country." The object of this inroad
into the Kandyan territory was thus officially avowed to
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1804; 123
be for the purpose of indulging, to the uttermost, the
spirit of vengeance and devastation at the expense of the
inhabitants. Whatever the public authorities may in
tend on ooeasions of this kind, it is seldom that they so
grossly commit themselves, by specifically commanding
the perpetration of acts of savage barbarity.-( Vide
Appendix, No. V. )-
Captain Johnston, in compliance with what he con
sidered the object of the two letters from the adjutant-
general, equipped a force consisting of 82 Europeans,
202 native soldiers, (Malays and Bengal Sepoys,) and
550 pi9neers and coolies, and marched from Batticallo
on the 20th of September. After much hard fighting,
and surmounting innumerable obstacles, in the woods
and mountains of U wa, he reached Kandy on the 6th
October ; but, to his great surprise and disappointment,
he could obtain no satisfactory information respecting
the march of any of the other five divisions intended
for the devastation of the Kandyan country. He re-
mained in the capital three days, from the 6th until
the 9th, when he left Kandy for Trincomalee by the
Watapologa Ferry. During the 9th and 10th, he had
constant skirmishing with the Kandyans ; and it was
not until the afternoon of the 10th that the detachment
had crossed the Maha Villa Ganga, leaving the tents
behind, not having been able to get them acl'OSs thA
river. The ammunition had, by this time, been greatly
reduced. The carriage bullocks, which would mate-
rially impede his progress, he determined to abandon,
each soldier being directed to take six days' rice on his
back. The stores were also abandoned or destroyed.
While destroying some of the stores, a parcel of loose
powder which bad been left near one of the boxes con
.....,., 124 llISTORICAL SKETCH:
~~ . .
taining shells, unfortunately exploded ; the fire was
communicated to the fusees, and the shells exploded
among the detachment, killing 11.nd wounding several
coolies, and severely wounding a serjeant of artillery.
About five o'clock in the afternoon of the 10th, the
detachment commenced its march from the left bank of
the Maha Villa Ganga, the coolies carrying a long train
of sick and wounded. Having reached the Aitgalle Pass,
they spent a distreBBing night, exposed to incessant rain,
without the means of dressing rice, While Captain
Johnston remained at Kandy, the population were busy
preparing to cut off' his retreat to Trincomalee. The
Aitgalle Pass, and the whole line of road through the
jungles of Matele, extending for sixty or seventy miles,
were barricaded, in some places with breastworks, and
in others by means of large trees laid across the road.
In this ~s h~ lost five Europeans, eight Sepoys, and
thirty followers, killed and wounded, The march was
continued on the 12th, with the loss of two Europeans
and five Sepoys killed, and a Lieutenant Smith severely
wounded. The guides acquainted with the country were
lost, two having deserted and one having been shot.
13th October, "the enemy seemed to be more resolute
than ever. Led on by some of our Malays and gun
Lascars who had formerly deserted to them, they attacked
the detachment both in front and rear, and actually cut
in amongst the coolies, who threw down the sick and
wounded, aud either ran into the forest to conceal them-
selves, or rushed in among the troops. Two wounded
Europeans fell into the hands of the enemy. A number
of Malays and Lascars who had deserted from tl1e
British army, and who were now in the Kandyan service,
repeatedly addressed their countrymen in Captain
I
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1804,
Johnston's detachment, exhorting them to join the royal

forees, by which they would escape danger, and be highly
rewarded. Lieutonant Virgo was directed to go forward,
and order back the advanced guard, with the sick and
wounded, but neither he nor the V&Dguard returned. The
enemy having assembled in great force in the rear of
the detachment, Captain Johnston determined to charge
them, which was successfully effected, and the Kandyans
complete]J routed. Since the 9th, the soldiers, and also
the officers, had subsisted on undressed rice, which had
become musty and mildewed. From seven o'clock in
the morning until two in the afternoon, the weather
generally continued fair, and the effects of the suu
powerful ; but, after two, rain began to fall, and con-
tinued without much remission during the whole of the
night.
14th, Had great difficulty in discovering a road which
l1e was satisfied led to Trincomalee. The enemy's
pursuit was considerably slackened. Passed this night
in the woods, without shelter.
15th. A few shots only were fired at the detachment
in the course of the.day. "Halted at night ina small
village, where. they were enabled to procure shelter and
some refreshment.
16th, Reached Minnery Lake, about fifty-six miles
from Trincomalee, where Captain Johnston found the
advanced guard and Lieutenant Virgo, but without
Lieutenants Vinoent and Smith, and two wounded
soldiers of the 19th Regiment. The guard alleged that
The writer having travened this dreary wilderness from
'Ilrincomalee to lbndy in 1816, ean, In some measure, appreciate
the difficulty Captain Johnston had to distinguish the common
pathway from an elephant track through the jungle.
126 .BISTOIUCAL SXETCB.
they had lost their way in the woods, and 1rere nearlj
starved ; that the coolies deserted them ; that they 1'9le
themselves so exhausted as to be scarcely able to walk,
and had no means of carrying the sick, whom they were
under the necesaity of abandoning ; that they were
without guides, and found their way to the village where
they then were by mere chance. Lieutenant Virgo pleaded;
in juatification of his conduct, that the soldiers had
refused to obey his orders ; and on inquiry, Captain
Johnston found that the situation in which the soldiers
were placed had, in some degree, shaken their disci-
pline, and that they were encouraged in their insub-
ordination by one of the non-commissioned officers.
Lieutenant Virgo was at first placed under arrest, but
he was soon after released; Captain Johnston having
re11olved to submit the whole affair to the commanding
officer at Trincomalee.
17th and 18th. The detachment continued its march
unmolested by the enemy, passing both nights in the
woods, exposed to the inclemency of the monsoon, with-
out the least shelter.
After undergoing incredible hardships and privations,
arising from the nature of the country, the numbers and
vigilance of the enemy, exposure to a tropical sun during
the day, alternating with a cold, moist atmosphere, with-
out covering at night, want of food, &c., the detachment
reached Trincomalee on the 20th October 1804. The
following is a return of the killed, wounded, and miuing ;
but as the missing were never heard of, I have included
them among the killed : -
E~ &tipa,po,..
Killed, 10 111
Wounded, 6 27
D1g1tized by Google
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1804. i21
In consequence of the desertions which took place
among the coolies and pioneers, the exact amount of
their killed and wounded oould never be ascertained ; but
there is every reason to believe that a very considerable
number was killed. Among the Europeans.missing, two
were commissioned officers.
The Kandyana, it will appear, were not the only
en.eaiea the detachment had to contend with ; they had
to endure hunger, fatigue, extremes of heat and cold,
besides the diseases incidental to an unhealthy climate.
At an early stage of the retreat, Captain Johnston was
obliged to abandon the doolies, in consequence of the
death or desertion of the bearers, or coolies ; the moat help-
less cases of the ~ick and wounded being carried on cloths
fastened to bamboos, whilst the others got on by leaning
on their less exhausted comrades. For the first three
days, the detachment was not permitted to halt during
the day, even for a single moment, to dress the wounded
men ; the least delay enabling the enemy to oppose
fresh obstacles to their retreat. When less pressed by the'
enemy, it was out of the surgeon's power to be of much
assistance to the wounded, the cooly who earned the
medicines having deserted ; and as the wounds were
not dressed, they became in general ill-conditioned, and
at length so offensive to the patients themselves, as
scarcely to be bome. Those men who had escaped sick-'
ness and wounds on the retreat were emaciated, sallow,
and debilitated to an extreme degree. They were almost
all barefooted; the ahoes having been completelywom out.
This retreat was ne&l'ly as fatal to the Europeans of the
detachment as the massacre of 1803 had been, for almost
all died in the hospital; few, very few, survived...:...
Assiatant-Surgeon Gillespie, the same medical officer who
ucaped from Fort MacdowaJ. along with Captain Madge, in I 803,
128 HISTOB.ICAL BKETC~
( N afTatit,e of t!.6 OJ>6f'ationl of a Detaclvm.ent on an E3:pe-

duion to Kandy, in the I,lallll of Ceylon, in the y&ar 1804 J
by Captain Jowton.-London, 1810.)
Too much credit cannot be given to Captain Johnston
for the great military talents he displayed in conducting
his detachment through a country 80 full of natural
obstacles, and defended by a race of people so active and
persevering in resisting invaders as the natives of the
interior of Ceylon.
He concludes his Narrative with the following interest-
ing summary of the suffering and anxiety he underwent
during the expedition, and the anguish of his mind
when he found that it wa.s not intended he should have
proceeded to Kandy:-
" In common with the rest of the detachment, -I had
performed the greater part of the retreat barefooted.
Had I possessed, indeed, changes of boots a.nd shoes, I
could not have used them, my feet having swelled and
become 80 tender, from constant wet, that I could not,
without considerable pain, put them to the ground,
" In this condition, emaciated by fatfgue, and labour-
ing, besides, under a severe dysentery, I was, for the
last two days, obliged to be carried in my cloak fastened
to a stick.
" These bodily sufferings, however, severe as they
were, were only shared in common .with many of those
around me, and fell far short of the anguish of my mind.
Whilst I witnessed the melancholy s.tate of my brave
companions, I could not help reflecting, that perhaps my
precipitate retreat from Kandy bad brought all this dis-
belonged to Captain J ohnaton's detachment, although he seems to

have been omitted in the numerical return of the strength of the
party. Captiun Johnston alludes to the "surgeon" in his Narra-
tive, but"he never mentiona Mr GilleBpie's name.
D1g1tized by Google
...
_
ENGLISH PERIOD, 180!l.
tress and misery upon them; that the other divisions

were possibly now in Kandy, carrying into executiou
the general's plans; and that, in such case, I must, by
my premature retreat, incur the oen11ure of the general,
and perhaps of the whole army.
" On the other hand, in the event of our troops not
coming up, I wae satisfied that, had I remained a single
.day longer in Kandy, the river, from the constant rains
which we had experienced, would have become com-
pletely impassable ; that our provisions would have been
expended, without the possibility of procuring any fresh
supply ; and that, though determined not to capitulate
under any extremity, we must, 'in the end, have been
overpowered, owing to the want of ammunition as well
-as from: the presence of sickness and fa.mine.
" While my mind was agitated by these conflicting
reflootiom, we arrived at Tamblegamme on the 19th,
.where we were met by some officers from Trincomalee,
who had heard that morning of our approach
._ "No words can express my surprise on now-learning,
for the first time, that it was not intended that I should
proceed to Kandy; that the general, on arriving at
J affna-patam, had found obstacles to the combined attack,
-which he considered to be insurmountable ; that the
second letter I received was inteded as a countermand
of the original plan ; and thatmy having gone to Kandy
was deemed a. disobedience of orders ; that it was merely
meant that the divisions shQuld enter those parts of the
enemy's territory adjacent to their respective districts,
and return after laying waste the country ; that the
other five divisions had accordingly made these incur-
sions, and had long since returned; and that the govern-
, ,mcnt, having learned from the Singalese on the borders
F 2 .
0tg,1i,ed by Google
of my detachment having been in Kandy, had despaired

of our ever returning."
It having appeared necessary that an affair attended
with such serious consequences should undergo investi-
gation, Captain Johnston was ordered round to Colombo,
where a court of inquiry was held upon his conduct.
The decision of the court was, that by proceeding to
Kandy he had not disobeyed the orders he received.
Lieutenant Virgo was tried by a court-martial at Trin-
comalee for failing to comply with Captain Johnston's
orders to bring back the advanced guard, together with
the sick and wounded, on the 13th October. It is
alleged he .was treated with great asperity by some of
.the officers oft.he 19t.h Regiment, and thai he was hardly
dealt with .on his trial. He was sentenced to be sus-
J>ended from rank and pay for a period of six calendar
months. He had been wounded by the enemy, and lost
an eye during .the expedition.-( Vide Appendix, No.
VI.)
Captain Arthur Johnston, who displayed so much bravery
and resolution in conducting this detachment, was a native of Ire-
land. He entered the army in 1794, and in 1795 he was pro-
moted to the rank of lieutenant in the 19th Regiment. In 1804,
he obtained a company in the Sd Ceylon Regiment., and in 181 l
a majority in the same corps, from which he was soon after re-
moved to the Corsican Rangers. He went on half-pay in 1816,
having become lieutenant-colonel by brevet in 1814. After
retmng on half-pay, he was for some time employed as a professor
in the Boyal Military College. He died in 1823 or 1824. Cap-
tain Johnston was a claimant for the .Annandale peerage.
Lieutenant Virgo, 1st Ceylon Regiment, had at one time been
a private in the band of the 80th Regiment. He lived in a very
resired manner, read much, and was considered well informed on
general snbjects. He was suppoeed to indnJge in the nse of opium.
As an officer, he was not considered very efficient. He was re-
peatedly snperseded in the Malay regiment by the promotion of
junior officers oftbe same corps. In 1818, be exchanged on halt~
pay as lieutenant, the rank he had attained in 1800, and died in
1837.
A desultory warfare of retribution, between tlie Kan-

dyaos and the English, continued until about February
or March 1805. The war was conducted by betb parties,
Christian and Heathen, with savage barbarity. Nume-
rous Tillages were burnt, and large tracks of country
!'Maced to desolation. The English, no doubt, palliat.ed
their barbarities by the lou they bad incurred during
the invasion of 1803 ; but who can justify ret.aliation
when the innocent are the victims ?
In our OYD territory, the disaffection of the inhabit-
ants was punished by martial law with fearful severity.
At Cogel on the southern ooast, for enmple, the inha-
bitants of which village bad interrupted the communi-
cation between Galle and Matura, fifty boats were
buriled, and all the houses in the village destroyed.
One " rioter " was hanged, and five others were con-
demned to receive each 1000 lashes, a favourite sentence
with courts-martial at that period, and for a long time
after ; but happily these courts are not now authorized
to award an unlimited sentence.
In February 1805, an extensive invasion of our terri-
tory by the Kandyans took place ; but by this time large
-reinforcements bad arrived, which enabled us to act
with vigour and etfect. The Kandyans were completely
routed, and retired ftom the maritime provinces with
great loss.
On this occasion, the king intended to make an inroad
into the district of Colombo; and; being confident of
success, accompanied a detachment of his .army int<J
the maritime provinces; His forces having beeri de-
feated and dispersed; he fled with great precipitation,
believing, it is presumed, that he was followed by the
English troops. By the time he reached the district of
the Four Corles, his palanquin.bearers and at~ndants
..
I32 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
were exhausted with hunger and fatigue, and unable to

continue the flight. In this condition he w1111 met by
Molligodda, then a young man, and not enjoying any
office under the king, who rendered his sovereign the
most acceptable and beneficial aervice,. From this
time, Molligodda was regarded by the king with great
:favour, and, as we shall see, was soon after appointed to
an important office under govemment:
Indirect advances .were soon after made by the Kan-
dy&ns, and accepted by the English, for a tacit cessation
of hostilities. " From the time that we commenced war
with the Kandyans, our troops," as has been observed by
Major Forbes, "were grievously harassed and uselessly
sacrificed. We neither conciliated our own subjects,
nor gained respect from our enemies. Our negotiations
were despicable, and our policy cruel and unsuccessful."
On the 19th July 1805, the Right Honourable Sir
Thomas Maitland assumed _the government of the mari-
time provinces of Ceylon. Cordiner informs us, that
General Maitland succeeded in getting a letter conveyed
to Major Davie, to which he returned an answer, written
with a pencil, on a small slip of paper, both pencil and
paper having been sent to him from Colombo. Whether
or not General Maitland made any direct application to
the court of Kandy in favour of Major Davie, is not
publicly known. Apparently, there was no friendly in-
tercourse between Sir Thomas, while he was governor,
and the king ; but no act of aggression was committed
by either party.
Major-General Wilson assumed the government of
.Ceylon on the 19th March 1811, a.nd, during his tenure
of office, there did not appear to be either friendly or
hostile relations between the COUl'.t of Kandy and the
British government.
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ENGLISH P:&RIOD, 1811. 133
During this period of mutual forbearance between the
governments of the maritime and central territories, im.
portant events occurred in the Kandyan country. The
dissavony of the Seven Corlee having become vacant in
1806 by the death of Megasthene, second adikar, and
dissave of this district, it was divided between two
chiefs, Eheylapola. and Molligodda; a circumstance
which greatly dissatisfied the people, two dissaves being
,opposed to require double the services and duties of one,
and the arrangement, moreover; being contrary to cus-
tom. An insurrection was the consequence, which
Pilimi Talawa succeeded in suppressing, the district
having been tra.nsferredtohima.ndhisnephewEheyla.pola..
The success of this chief is said to have excited the king's
suspicion and jealousy, and heightened the aversion he
had for some time entertained towards him. Other cir-
cumstances occurred which increased the discord between
this chief and the king ; mutual hatred followed, coupled
with mutual dread, each having good grounds for con-
sidering his life insecure from the machinations of the
other. The adikar having, in the opinion of the
king, committed some breach of duty, was summoned to
court, to appear before him and the chiefs assembled in
Kandy. His offences being recapitulated, he was forth-
with deprived of all his offices, and . incarcerated in
'prison, whence he was liberated with permission to
retire to his country residence. A life of degradation
and inaction was but ill adapted for this able, ambi-
tious, enterprising, and vindictive chief. He soon
entered into a conspiracy to assassinate the king. For
this purpose he bribed the Malay Mohundiram and
sixty Malays (the royal body guard) to perpetrate the
murder; and he prevailed on the head men of U dunuwera
and Yattinuwera to raise the people of theiJ." respective
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131 HISTOB.ICAL SKETCH,
districts in arms about the same time. The two pro-

vinces mentioned rose prematurely in rebellion. and the'
adikar's plot was marred. Some of the Ma.lays fled
to Colombo. The insurrection having been suppressed
and the ringleaders apprehended, Pilimi Talawa, to-
gether with bis son and nephew, were ordered to be
brought to Kandy, to be tried for high treason. The
adikar and bis nephew arrived together, and, in the
presence of the king and chiefs, were confronted with
some of the other conspirators ; and being convicted,
were sentenced to suffer death. It is stated that the'
prisoners confessed they were guilty of the alleged trea-
son. Pilimi Talawa and his nephew were immediately
beheaded ; and six petiy chiefs were at the same
time hanged and impaled, ihe dead bodies being tied
to a post, and exposed in that condition near to a public
road. The son, who was imprisoned at a considerable
distance, was capitally convicted ; but as he did not
arrive till after the execution of his relatiens, and as it
happened on a holiday, his life was spared, but his
lands were confiscated. Pilimi Ta.laws. was executed
in 1812.
Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Brownrigg succeeded
to the govemment of the maritime portion ofthe island
of Ceylon on the 11th March 1812,
Ebeylapola, who had been appointed second adikar
in 1806, succeeded his uncle Pilimi Ta.laws. as first
adikar. This appointment is supposed to have been, in
a great measure, occasioned by the ascendancy which
Pilimi Talawa's family had established with the other
chiefs, whereby the king was induced to acquiesce in
their wishes, and to appoint him prime minister. It does
not appear, however, that the king ever placed much
trut in him. .He seems, indeed, never to have deserved
Digitized ~y Goog Ie
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1812, 135
the king's confidence, for, no sooner was he appointed

first adikar, and became the head of the influential family
to which he belonged, than he entertained the same dis-
loyal and ambitious designs for which his able and per-
a
fidious uncle had suffered. After brief period, the
king's suspicions of his fidelity were excited, by learning
that he was pursuing ii. syst.em of intrigue inconsistent
with loyalty to his sovereigu.-(Simon Sawer,' MS.
Notu on tl,,e Oonquut of Kandy.)
At this juncture, the king sent the chiefs into their
respective districts, to superintend the cultivation of the
country, and to collect the revenue. Eheylapola pro-
ceeded to his dissavony, (Satfragam,) where circum-
stances soon occurred which amply proved his want of
fidelity to his sovereign. In consequence of several
charies of extortion and injustice having been preferred
to the king against him, he was ordered to return to
Kandy for their investigation. The adikar failed to
comply with the order of the king, and the reply he made
was not calculated to satisfy or conciliate his sovereign.
He forthwith prepared to set the king at defiance, and
commenced a treasonable correspondence with General
Brownrigg. An open rupture between the king and the
adikar having taken place, the latter lost no time in
assembling his adherents in Saft'ragam, for the purpose
of resisting the royal forces. His designs becoming
known in Kandy, he was deprived of all his public
offices, and his wife and children, who were considered
pledges of his loyalty, were imprisoned. Molligodda
was appointed his successor, not only as first adikar, but
also as dissave of the province of Saffragam. To sup-
press the rebellion, this chief proceeded to the disaffected
province, the road to which, from Kandy, p~s over
the summit of Adam's Peak. Eheylapola's force was
soon routed, his adherents having made no effectual

resistance. He fled to Caltura, a British post, in May
1814, whence he proceeded to Colombo with some of his
followers. Molligodda returned to Kandy with the
prisoners he had taken, forty-seven of whom, it is alleged,
were executed. The cause of the disturbances in the
Seven Corles was again investigated, the headmen sup-
posed to have been concerned in the rebellion which
Pilimi Talawa suppressed, were summoned to appear in
Kandy. They were tried by a commission of three
chiefs, of whom Molligodda, whose authority they had
opposed, was one ; after receiving corporal punishment,
about seventy were executed : all of them being men of
some consequence in the district.
The brother of Eheylapola, having been snspe~d of
misprison of treason, was executed, as were also his
wife, and Eheylapola's wife and children ; the latter
were brought from prison and delivered over to the exe-
cutioners in front of the palace. Having uttered some
noble sentiments of devotion respecting her husband, this
high-minded woman desired her eldest son to submit to
bis fate. By one blow with a sword, the boy was de-
capitated, the head was then thrown into a rice mortar,
Molligodda appears to have acted the part of Judge Jefferies
to the king with great alacrity; but he was more fortunate than
the Chief-Justice, who, afwr being made Chancellor, wu so ill-
treated by the populace that he died soon afwr. James the Se-
cond and his coadjutor, it must be admitted, executed legal
slaughter in a much more wholesale manner than even the King
of Kandy and his obsequious minister. In writing to Lord Sun,
derland from Dorchester, when he was on his campaign to the
West, the Chief-Justice says-"! have this day began with the
rebels, and have despatched ninety-eight." Except in Russia,
criminals are rarely flogged before capital punishment. The party
who conspired to assassinate Peter the Great were all seized and
punished with great severity by the knout, or the battoques, a kind
uf bastinado, (sticJt.-beating,) aud then beheaded.
D1g1tized by Google
and a pestle ptit into the mother's hand, with which ahe
was ordered to pound it. The threat of giving her an<l
her relations to be defiled by the Rhodias, had the effect
of supporting her. fortitude to suffer any infliction. In
this resolution, it is said, she was encouraged by the
chief wh,o superintended the execution, and who, being
a relation of her husband, at the risk of his life re-
minded her of the disgrace that would be brought on
her family by seeming to accept such terms. But this
noble lady did not require any encouragement, having
displayed the most astonishing fortitude throughout this
fearful trial, The wretched woman lifted the pestle and
let it fall. The other children were decapitated in suc-
cession, and treated in the same manner. Dr Davy in-
forms us that the eldest boy was eleven years old, and
the second nine years : he mentions the circumstances
attending the execution of two other children, but does
not specifically state the number of children who were
put to death on this occasion. The late Mr Tolfrey
(A Narrati-oe of E-oents which occurred in Oeywn) alleges
that there were five children in all, and that the eldest
was a lad eighteen years of age. General Brownrigg, in
, his official declaration of the settlement of the Kandyan
provinces, speaks of " four infant children," from which
' it may be presumed that Mr Tolfrey had been misin-
1 formed regarding the number of the children who were
/
on this occasion executed, and the age of the eldest.
The mother, and three other females, were then led to
j the Bogamborawa tank, in the neighbourhood of Kandy,
and there drowned.-(An Account of tli,e Interior of
Oeywn, d:o., by Dr DaTJy,)
The King of Kandy might almost dispute the palm of cruelty

with the hero of Culloden, uie Duke of Cumberland, who left be-
' Goog Ie
)
Digitized by
/
138 HISTORICAL SKETCH~
According to Kandy an usages, the relations a traitor of

were liable to punishment. Knox informs us that Rajah
hind him in Scotland the name of die ButcA8r, a title confirmed to

him by the English. He invariably contended for the Highla,nders
being treated with "die utmost aeverity ;" and what " utmost se-.
verity" meant may be inferred, when it is asserted, on indisputable
authority, that the Highland women were subjected to the last
indignity and brutality by his army,-that their children were fre.
qu.ently shot, stabbed, or thrown over the rocks,-and that it be-
came a common spectacle to see men, women, and children, frantic
with hunger, following in the track of the plunderers, and implor-
ing for the bl09d and offal of their own cattle, carried off and
slaughtered for the use of the troops. The carnage which had
been committed, and was still committing, after the battle of Cul-
loden, his Royal Highness was pleased to style a little bl.ood-letti"!J,
which only weakened the madness, bu.t did not at all cure it.
"When the rage of battle ceased,
The victor's soul was not appeased ;
The naked and forlorn must feel
Devouring flames and murdering steel."-Smollet.
The popular feeling in England appears not to have been dis-

gusted with the barbarous mode of disembowelling traitors, and
impaling heads, during the last century. At the time in question,
the authorities were most punctilious in executing the treason
sentences with all their heart-roasting atrocities ; and about eighty .
ghastly heads were kept and Impaled in different parts of the
country. The mode of executing traitors by the King of Kandy \
was not more revolting to the foelings than the plan long adopted 1
in England. In Kandy, the chiefs were beheaded and buried ;
individuals of the lower ranks were hanged, and the whole body
l'
attached to a stake, and exposed COIQ.Jllonly at Gonarooa, which
is about three miles fro111 the capital, "at the greatest highway,''. .
says Knox, "that all may see and stand in awe." In England
the heads were stuck up In towns: A8 late as the seventeenth
century, not 200 years ago, convicted traitors were quartered in I
Scotland, and the quarters dispersed over the COUJltry. Even so
recently as the Rebellion of 17 45, the general feeling of the people I
in England 8eelJ18 to have been very unfavourable to the exeroise \
of clemency. Few publications advocated the propriety of show-
ing mercy to any of the rebels, either noblemen or COIIIJUOn people.
\
Even the pulpit was made the vehicle for promulgating Inhuman
,eatiments. On the 21st of .Augnet, the chaplain of the high- \
(
Singha's wrath wu not always appeased by the execution

of the malefactor, but sometimes he punished all his
pneat.ion.
The failure of the numerous invasions of the Kandyan
country by Europeans, together with their melancholy
consequences, are supposed to have inspired the king
with an impression of security, which the alleged ad-
vances made by our government, to establiah a corre-
spondence with the court, tended to confirm. How far
this surmise may be well-founded, it is diffioult to de-
cide. The policy of the governments of the maritime
provinces having been almost uniformly hostile towards
the Kandyan country, it was very natural for the king
to regard any advances made from that quarter with
great suspicion. The Kandyan monarch wished to pre-
se"e his power and the independence of his kingdom,
aud he, no doubt, was well informed respecting the
sheriff of York profaned the Christian faith, by preaching before
the judges who were to try a number of &lleged rebels, a sermon,
the spirit of ,rhieh is sufficiently indicated by tlie text, Numbers
xXT. 5, "And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every
one his men that were joined unto B&&l-peor.'' Cruelty is regarded
with abhorrence, even when it is practised by savage or uncivilized
nations ; and it Is, if possible, still more revolting when it is in-
flicted by professon of Christianity,-peraons who admit the obli-
gation of the humane precepts of the gospel.
The crime of treason is in most countries punished with greater
severity than other crimes, and a degree of the punishment gene-
i' rally extends to the wives and children of traiton. Until lately,
the punishment for treason was in this country a barbarous exhi-
bition, perhaps more revolting than in any civilized country in the
world. Before the soth George m, women were sentenced to
be burned alive for even petty treason. The law against treason
is still of a very barbarous character. .As it now stands, a penon
convicted of treason fbrfeits to the crown his whole property, real
and pel"IIOnal, as well u his honom:s and dignities ; and the conse-
quent corruption o( blood deprives him of &11 right of succeeaion,
and prevents his descendants fivm taking an7 succession through
him.
exertions which had been made by the Portuguese arnl

Dutch to conquer the Kandyan country, by which means
the impressions their conduct excited survived towardl!
us, we being the inheritors of their cause,
On the arrival of Eheylapola at Colombo, he was pro,,
vided with a residence in the suburbs by government,
and, after a brief period, was admitted to an iuteniew
with the governor at Mount Lavinia, his Excellency's .
country-house. " At this interview he was," says Mr
.Tolfrey, cc received with the most distinguished kind-
ness and respect, and was so affected with the novelty
of his situation, and the unwonted kindness of a superior,
that, regardless of the forms of introduction, he burst
into tears. As soon as he was composed, the governor
soothed him with promises of favour and protection.
The adikar observed, that he looked to his Excellency as
his father ; that he had been deprived of all the natural
ties of relationship, and trusted that the favour he soli-
cited, of being allowed .to call the governor and Mrs
Brownrigg his parents, would not be denied him." At
this inteniew, it is probable that the incense of flattery .
was liberally dispensed by both parties ; but, in that
.species of pleasing, Ruropeans must yield the palm of
excellence to a courtly Kandyan. The governor and /
Eheylapola had, no doubt, one object in view, namely, (
the deposition of the king ; but, in all other respects, ,
their in~rests were very discordant. How little did \
Eheylapola anticipate, at this time, that, in a compara- i
tively brief period, he should, without the form of a
trial, be incarcerated in a state-prison, there to remain
,u ntil it was deemed expedient to banish him for life to
a foreign land !
Soon after the arrival of Eheylapola at Colombo, it
became obvious that General Brownrigg had an invasion
ENGLISH PRI0D, 181'. 141
of the K,ndyan. country in contemplation, and it has
since been ascertained, that he was greatly encouraged
to engage in the conquest of the interior by the ex-adikar.
For this purpose he furnished his Excellency with im
portant information respecting the resources of the
Kandyan country, and the feelings of the chiefs and
people towards the government. This able traitor also
submitted a plan of hostil<1 operations against his native
country, which, with some modifications, was carried
into effect by Sir Robert Brownrigg, and, as we shall
see, with complete success.
An attempt was, about this time, made by General
Brownrigg to induce Molligodda, the adikar and prime
minister to the king, to abandon his sovereign and to
join the allies, namely, the Kandyan rebels and the
British invading force, and hopes were entertained that
he would have been won over from his allegiance, several
communications having passed between him and Mr
D'Oyley, but the measure did not succeed.
While the local government was tampering with
Molligodda., and otherwise employed in fomenting re-
bellion against the king, information was received during
the month of November, that ten cloth-merchants, sub-
jects ef the British government, bad been seized in the
Kandyan country, a.nd punished, by order of the king,
according to the severest of the Kandyan secondary
punishments, viz., dismemberment and mutilation.
Seven of the merchants died on the spot, and the re-
Vide Ceylon Misrellany, vol. i. pp. 35, 36, " Operations of the
British Troops in Ceylon i1t 1815. I!y an Officer employed in ilie
Expedition." This journal was probably wiitten by the late
Colonel Willerman, Quartermaster-General to the troops in
Ceylon. Colonel .Willerman was a confidential friend of General
Brownrigg, and may be presumed to have been intimately ac-
quainted with the secret policy of his government.
BISTOBICAL SKETCH,
maini~g three reached Colombo alive. This circum-

stance was considered by General Brownrigg as an act
of aggression on the part of the King of Kandy, which
involved the honour of the British nation. A true ac~
connt of the cause of the pnni~hment of the merchants
was not obtained nntil several years after the British
had taken possession of the country. The travelling
merchants, or pedlars, in question, were plundered by
some low-caste Kandyans in the Three Corles, a district
in the Kandyan country, who, to prevent their being
brought to justice, accused the men who bad been
robbed of being spies from the maritime provinces, and
employed by the local government. Upon this charge,
supported by the testimony of the men who bad plun-
dered them, the merchants were found guilty, and pnn
ished according to the common nsage of the country.
It was generally supposed in the Kandyan provinces,
that the king bad no donbt the men were spies; and,
considering that Eheylapola. bad taken refuge in Co-
lombo, where he was received by General Brownrigg
" with the most distinguished kindness and respect,"
and that it was well known be was actively exciting
rebellion against the king, there was some appearance
of probability that the men were in reality agents of
Eheyla.pola, and employed with the sanction of the
local government.*-(Simon Sawer,' MS. Nota.)
Mutilation or dismemberment appean to have been a very
common punishment in most countries during a state of semi-civiliza-
tion, but it baa always been more extensively U8ed in the East than
in perhaps any other part of the world. Brawling or quarrelling in
the precincts of the court, at one time rendered a delinquent in
this country liable to have his right hand chopped off. According
to Blackstone, dismemberment is still a legitimate punishment for
crime in Great Britain. But it is in the East that theae barbarous
punishments, taking away the note and ean, ban been_ most in
D1g1tized by Google
From about the period :when the mutilation of the

merchants became known at Colombo, the most active
preparations for war were in progress. His Excellency
applied to the Presidency of1Madras for a reinforcement
of troops, and it is alleged that a favourable answer was
made to his application. During the month of N ovem-
ber 1814, the :first division of troops for service in the
field was organized, and placed under the command of
Major Hook. His Excellency superintended the equip-
ment of this division with unremitting assiduity.
On the 9th December 1814, Major Hook's division,
to which the writer belonged, marched for Hangwelle, a
small post about eighteen miles from Colombo, and
twelve from the Kandyan boundary. Our ally, Ehey-
lapola, and the, few people he could seduce from their
alle~ce, accompanied this division, About a fort-
night after it marched from Colombo, and, before
leaving Hangwelle, all the officers dined with the Kan-
dyan chieftain. The perfidy of Kandyan allies having
become quite proverbial, Major Hook took care not to
permit any considerable number of Eheylapola's followers
within his cantonments.
It must be recollected that ijheylapola was a subject
of the King of Kandy, to whom he owed allegiance ;
and that he owed protection to bis family, who, as hi.s
hostages, were, according to the custom of the country,
answerable for his loyalty; consequently, an officer 80
situated, giving up his family to preconditioned de-
struction, rebelling against his king, and calling a
foreign force into his country, required a strong case to
be made out in bis favour, before be could obtain the
nse, (Ezek. xxiii. 25.) In Egypt the noses of adul&erons persons

were cut oft; and in Chaldea both their ears and noses.
144: HISTORICAL SKETCH,.
pardon or confidence of mankind. His professions of

attachment to the British government, or aft'ectfon to
wards General Brownrigg, deserved no credence except
in so far as they might minister to his vengeance and
ambition. His policy is presumed to have been much
the same as that of bis talented .uncle, namely, to.render
the throne vacant by the arms of the English, as a pre-
liminary measure to bis attaining sovereign power.
It was intended that Major Hook's division should
remain at Bangwelle until the arrival of the troops from
Madras ; but, about the time they were expected, de-
spatches were received from the Madras government,
announcing the recall of the corps intended for aerviee in .
Ceylon, on account of the pre18ure of political affairs on
the peninsula of India. t
The army intended for the invasion of Kandy was
arranged in eight divisions, and commanded in the fol-
lowing manner : -
Commanded by To mardl ftom

1st Dirision, .. .... Major Hook, 2d Ceylon regt .. . ..... Colombo.
2cl Division, } ,
(reserve,) Lt.-Col. 0 Connell, 73d Foot .... ... Colombo.
3d Division, ...... Major Kelly, 4th Ceylon regt ....... Galle,
4th Division,}
(reserve,) Colonel Murray, 4th Ceylon regt . ~e.
5th Division, ..... Major D. M'Kay, Sd Ceylon regt ... Trincomalee.
6th Division} L t.- CoIone1 Raino,o
(reserve,) .., rd , l 9th F oot.... Trincom alee.
7th Division, . .. .. Captain Anderson, 19th Foot....... Batticallo.
8th Division, .. ... CaptainDeBuaehe, lstCeylonregt.. Negombo.
Hostilities with the Kandyans having generally ter-

minated very unfavourably for the invaders, this expe-
dition was not popular either in the army or among
any other class of the inhabitants. The coolies, or
followers, who were forced to join the divisions, and em-
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1815. U5
ployed to conduct bullocks, carry doolies, provisions, &c.,

greatly dreaded the consequences of the expedition.
" The aversion of the natives to se"e as coolies in
our armies is founded on very obvious reasons, The
burdens which they are obliged to carry are heavy, and
their progresa consequently slow. They are frequently
exposed to the galling fire, doubtful of being .t aken care
of if wounded, and certain of being put to death if made
prisoners, Their post is more dangerous than that of
the fighting part of the army ; while they are not, like
soldiers, buoyed up by the pl'(lspectofanymilitaryadvan.
tage or preferment, or excited by the stimu1us of fame."
" The inst!Ult, therefore, it is known in any of the dis-
tricts, that a native head man has received orders to
,Bite a certain number of coolies, the villages are de-
serted by the lower class of the inhabit.ants, who, to
avoid the police officers, conceal themselves in the forests,"
-(Narrati.,, of an Ezpedition to Ka'Ady, .he., by Oaptain
John,ton.)
Early in the month of January 1815, Major Hook's
division moved forward from Hangwelle to A visahavilc,
on the left bank of the Sitawaka river, the boundary of
the Kandyan country; and, soon after, Mr D'Oyley
arrived at that station, and remained with the troops as
the commissioner of his Excellency the govemor. Mr
D'Oyley conducted the negotiations which were in
progress to encourage the disatfected in the Kandyan pro-
vinces, and to promote rebellion against the Kandyan
govemmenL
During the aftemoon of the 10th January, some of
Eheylapola's adherents in the Three Corles, a district of
the Kandyan country, had a hostile rencontre with a
party ofloyalists, which pursued the insurgents across the
boundary river, within sight of Major Hook's camp ; and,
6
,,
111STOBIOAL SKETCH.,
.during the affray' a cottage on the limits of our territory

was set on fire ; the latter circumstance, it is said, was
quit.a aooidental. The number ofK.andyans who crossed
the river did not exceed ten or twelve individuals ; and
they immediately retrao-ed their steps into their own
country, after the burning of the cottage.
Within a very brief period after it had been ascer-
tained that a cottage in our territory had been set on fire,
Major Hook received instructions from Mr D'Oyley to
. commence hostile operations. Preparations for that pur-
pose were forthwith put in progress, and at daybreak on
the morning of the 11th January, the division crossed
the Sitawaka river and marched towards Ruangwelle,
a. poet situated upon a point of land at the confluence
of the Kalani Ganga and the Mahaoya, where it was
ascertained that a large body of the loyalists was col-
lected. In conseqqence of rugged roads and other
causes, the troops did not reach the left bank of the
Kalani Ganga until the afternoon. The enemy fi~d a
few ginjals across the river ; but, after four or five dis-
charges from a small piece of ordnance, the British
,troops rapidly descended the precipitous bank, forded
the river, and, by the time they reached the opposite
bank, the Kandyans had fled, It was gratifying to see
the promptitude displayed by the troops in fording the
river, which is of considerable width, and was then
about four or five feet deep.
His Excellency the governor having left Colombo on the
evening of the 11th, joined the first division at Ruang-
welle on the 12th January, and dined with the officers
in a hut constructed of coco-nut leaves, (Cadjans.) Next
day, the 13th, he returned to Colombo. While he 'ltaB
at Ruangwelle, a proclamation or declaration of war
was issued, which; although it bears the date of lOtb
ENGLISH PEJUOD, 1815. 147
January, did not appear till the 13th, two days after
hostile operations bad commenced. This proclamation,
which was traruilated into the Singalese language for the
purpose of being circulated in the Kandyan country, or,
as may be said, among our unoff'ending neighbours, was
also intended to inform the world in genera.I, and the
countries of the East in particular, for what reasons
the local government bad assumed a hostile attitude
towards the Kandyan ,government. The principal rea-
sons assigned for invading the country were the alleged
tyranny and oppression of the Kandyan monarch, his
unwillingness to enter into any terms with the repre-
sentative of the British government, the mutilation of
the ten cloth-merchants already mentioned, and the
irruption of the Kandyans across the boundary river of
Sitawaka, in pursuit of Eheylapola's fugitive adherents.
The irruption of the Kandyan people into our territory
had, it may be presumed, very little influence in occa-
sioning the war-all the requisite preparations having
been made long before it took place. Besides, the irrup-
tion in question was obviously so unpremeditated and
accidental, and really of lio contemptible a character,
that it deserved no consideration. Major Book, who
saw the king's people wade the river after the fugitives,
did not think it necessary to move a single man to re-
pulse them. It may also be observe~, that no opportu-
nity was afforded the king to apologise for the alleged
insult.
Avisahavile being about 28 or 30 miles from Colombo,
where the governor resided, he could .not have heard of
the alleged irruption of the royal forces into our territory
before midnight, or early in the morning of the 11th,
consequently, it is presumed that Mr D'Oyley had been
invested with adequate authority to put the troops in
DigitizedbyGoogle .
148 WSTORICAL SKETCH.
motion. It is obvious, at any rate, that the proclama-

tion which was issued at Ruangwelle on the 13th, and
which bears the date of the 10th January, could not
have been printed before the 11 th, embracing, as it does,
an account of " the irruption of an armed Kandyan
force into the British territory," in pursuit of a party of
fugitive insurgents, during the afternoon of the 10th.
The object of the war is thus stated in the proclama-
tion:-" For securing the permanent tranquillity of these
settlements, and in vindication of the honour of the British
name ; for the deliverance of the Kandyan people from
their oppressors ; in fine, for the subversion of that
Malabar dominion which, during three generations, has
tyrannized over the country, his Excellency has resolved
to employ the powerful resources placed at his disposal."
- ( Vi<le Appendix, No. VII.)
It appears not to have been at this time deemed ex
pedient to promulgate the real object of the war, which
was obviously to destroy the national existence of the
Kandyan government altogether, and to annex the
country to the British crown. The doctrine of our right
to seize a territory which suited us, provided we could
only find an excuse for quarrelling with those who ruled
over it, has been seldom publicly avowed, however fre
quently it may have been acted upon. But there seems
to be a great pro~ity in the Saxon race to seize or
acquire the possessions of contiguous estates, without
much reference to consistency, justice, or good faith.
An improvement of the condition of the inhabitants
of a state, by delivering them from alleged oppression,
is sometimes assigned as a pretext for subjugating and
taking possession of a country ; but perhaps the princi-
ple of kindness and humanity towards a people is very
.i;arely i.Dde.ed the real .cause of war, professions of this
Digitized by Goog l_e

ENGLISH PERIOD, 181,5. 149
kind being frequently used as a cloak to cover visions of

glory, renown, and grasping ambition.
\luch is said in this proclamation of the barbarous or
uncivilized character of the king, as if we were to con-
stitute ourselves avengers or guardians of the globe, and
make the infliction of punishment different from our own
a pretext for war and conquest. The desire to pouees
the country opened our eyes to the delinquencie1 of its
ruler; and, to jUBtify aggression, it was deemed expedient
to assail not only his character, but also the character of
the Malabar dynasty, consisting of four sovereigns, each
of whom had been freely elected by the chiefs and
people. The Malabar kings were, it is believed, neither
worse nor better than the general run of Asiatic princes,
including the Kandyan or Singalese dynasty. Mankind
are liable to be somewhat suspicioUB of the sincerity of
the allegations of rulers who, after having made up their
minds not only to conquer but to seize a country, profess
to be impressed with a 1trong feeling of sympathy for
the subjects of those termed by them oppressors, whose
place they are ani:ioUB to occupy. Such points of inter-
national law as, What is a justifiable ground for declaring
war? What territory a nation bas a right to posseM?
What is a legitimate or humane mode of conducting
war? &c., &c., are questions too often but little attended
to, more especially in Oriental countries ; the practice
of nations being less influenced by the justice of their
cause than by the relative strength of the disputing
parties, and the prize that may be obtAined-the expan-
sion of territory.
The progress of the several divisions towards the town
of Kandy, the capital of the kingdom, where it was in-
tended they should ell concentrate. was but partially
interrupted by the Kandyans. At the passage of the

Maha Oya, at Idamalpane, some show of resistance WM
made to the first division ; but the enemy soon abandoned
their position, and disappeared. Although they con-
tinued to fire occasionally upon this division throughout
its progress to Kandy, not a man was either killed or
wounded.
An attempt was made to surprise Molligodda, who
commanded the royal forces on this line of road, and his
palanquin was captured ; but during the rencontre he
escaped into the jungle, after having been wounded in
one of bis legs by a musket ball, which passed between
the ankle and the tendo .Achilles. Molligodda must have
possessed considerable fortitude ; for be came to Major
Hook's camp at Attepetty on foot, late one night, dis-
guised as a messenger from "Molligodda," only a few
days after be had been wounded. He had a companion
with him, who, by the deference he paid to the dis-
guised Molligodda, convinced the Major that the mes-
senger was not what he professed to be. N umerons
communications were made to Major Hook by Molli-
godda and other chiefs, all professing their willingness
to promote the advance of the British troops, provided
they could do so without openly renouncing the Kandyan
government. Considering the character of the people,
and the circumstances in which they were placed, it
is obvious that no ttependence coold be placed in their
professions of attachment to the English. Fraud is ever
the shield of the weak ; and it was quite plain that the
chiefs professed attachment to both parties, for the pur-
pose of watching the iSllne of the contest, hoping by these
means to escape the resentment of the belligerents.
-The king bad obviously little or no confi4ence in .the
Digitized by Google I
.I
ENGLISH PEBIOD, 18Hi. 151
loyalty of the chiefs. About thia time, it is alleged, but
upon what authority I am ignorant, that many of them
wished for a revolution of the government, either from
dislike to the king, or, perhaps, more probably for the
purpose of getting rid of debt.a to his relations, from
whom some of them had received large loans. Molli-
~odda's debt.a alone amounted to 5000 pagodas, er about
L.2000.
The.result of the interview of Molligodda with Major
Hook was, that the former promised to make as little
opposition to the advance of the British troops as he
eould, consistently with the appearance of obeying the
orders of his sovereign. With this view, he informed
Major Hook that, although the people under his control
would continue to fire upon his division, no bullets
would be put in the fireloeks.
During the march of the troops from Hettymoole to
Gannitenue, the Kandyans fired more than usual upon
us from the jungle. The writer was walking with Major
Hook at the head of the column, when we saw two
Kandyans come out of the jnugle into the pathway,
about twenty.five or thirty yards before us. They both
fired, and one ball struck. the ground close to Major
Hook's foot. He obse"ed at the moment, There
has been a bullet in that musket." It was afterwards
aseenained, that the party in question was not under
the pommand of Molligodda; the men belonged to a
party which had been placed under the command of
another chief by the king, probably from some distrust
which he entertained of the zeal or sincerity of Molli-
godda in his cause. This chief may therefore be ac-
quitted of the charge .of breaking his agreement with
Majol'. Hook.
152 BISTOBICAL BUTCH.
Shortly after the troops had encamped, a m8888nger

from a native chief waited upon Major Hook,.having
been sent to info1m him where the men who had been
firing upon the dirision intended to retire to during the
night, and to volunteer to conduct a detachment of our
troops to attack them. Major Hook was much puzzled
to know how to. act in regard to this message. He
dreaded perfidy, and the danger to which a detachment
might be exposed upon the service in question. He,
however, finally determined to send a detachment of
Malaya and Sepoys, under the command of a captain
and a subaltern, to surprise the Kandyan post, which
was about five miles from the camp. Accordingly, a
little before midnight,the detachment, with the guide,
left the camp. The enemy's sentry was found asleep,
and promptly secured, by which means the British
troops were able to surround the house occupied by the
Kandyans; before they were aware of their approach.
The doors being shut, and strongly barricaded, it was
deemed expedient by the officer who commanded the
party, to set the thatch on fire, and to surround the
house with his men. To escape from the flames, the
Kandyans rushed out, and were met by a hedge of
bayonets, through which they endeavoured to pass. The
number of men in the house was stated to be about
seventy or seventy.five; but how many perished in the
flames, or were killed or wounded by the bayonet, was
not ascertained. Major Hook, who did not by any,
means approve of the captain's conduct, reported the
circumstance officially to head-quarters, exactly as it
occurred. It is an observation of Bonaparte, that " Men
should be firm in heart and ~n purpose, or they should
have nothing to do with war or with government;" and
E~GLISB PEBIOD, 1816. 153
~very day's experience confirms the truth of the remark.
He who aspires to conquest, must not scruple in regard
to the price of blood which success requires. In the
conduct of w&r, troops usually consider the cause justi-
fiable, and that all the measures which may appear to
them necessary to the end are justifiable also.
Next morning, the writer of this Sketch visited the
1eene of alaugh~, and brought away the wounded to
the camp, for the purpose of their receiving medical
a&sistance.
In compliance with instructions received from head-
quarters, Major Hook proceeded from GN1Ditenne, on
the 1st February, along the western face of the Bala.Jiy
mountains, towards the principal road from the Seven
Codes to Kandy, where, it was alleged, a large body of
the enemy had been assembled ; but no Kandyans in a
hostile attitude were discovered. On the 3d February
he proceeded to the strong passes or posts of Galgederah
and Giriagamme, which were abandoned by the enemy
after firing a few shots at the British troops. Here the
division remained for several days, Major Hook not
having received any specific instructions in regard to
future movements.
On the 2d February, the advance of the second divi-
One of the wounded had a large flap of the integuments of

the head hanging over hi8 right ear, and to the inside of this flap
a portion of the cranium, about the size of a half-crown piece, was
attached. The dura mater did not seem to have been materially
injured. This man had been struck on the head with a sabre, by
which the skull was divided ; whether or not he recovered the
writer is uninformed.
Captain De BuSBChe, in his " Letters on Ceylon," states, that
on this occasion " thirty of the enemy were put to the bayonet,
and ~ priaonera and tfrenty ,tand of arms were brought in,"
G2
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...
154 BISTOBICAL 8DTCH.
sion, under Major Moft'at, passed through the Balany

Pass, and encamped on the heights near to Amnnapura.
To allow time for the divisions from Trincomalee,
Galle, &c., to approach near to Kandy for the purpose
of intercepting the king, should he retreat eastward, it
was deemed expedient to halt the first and second divi-
sions for a few days. On the 6th February, Gannitenne
became the head-quarters of the army, General Brown-
rigg, who left Colombo on the 1st February, having
joined the second division.
About this time, Molligodda, by a message through
Mr D'Oyley, requested permiBSion to surrender himself,
with the banners and records of the Four Corles, of
which he was dissave, he having received intimation of
the escape of bis family from Kandy. The govemor's
consent having been given, Molligodda came into camp
on the 8th February, attended by a number of chiefs,
and formally gave up the insignil;' and records of his
diBS&vony into the hands of Mr D'Oyley, who had been
deputed as commisaioner, by the governor, to confer
with the adikar.
Molligodda having made his submission to the gover-
nor's commisaioner, proposed, in retiring, to pay a visit
to Eheylapola, who was, at that time, near to head-
quarters. The visitor introduced himself with an e'.Hlla-
nation that he was a. ruined man, " What, then, am I ~ "
said Eheylapola. Both chiefs, it is said, burst into
tears, having probably anticipated what promptly took
place-the deposition of the king, and, as a conse-
quence of that event, an extinction of the native govern-
ment, together with an end of their rank and influence.
On the 10th February, the second division, with
General Brownrigg, moved forwar~ to Amunapura-,
IntelUgence was recei1ed on the 11th, that the king had
left Kandy, and, on the 14th February, the second 4ivi
sion took posse88ion of the capital, which was found
nearly deserted by the inhabitants ; on the 15th, the first
division crossed the Maha Villa. Ganga. by the Kattugh
astott.e Ferry, and encamped in the immediat.e vicinity
of the town.
Shortly after the tents of this division had been
pitched, the writ.er . of this Sketch was addressed jn
English by a brown-coloured man in the native costume.
Upon inquiry, it was ascertained that bis name was
Thomas Thoen, a German by birth; that he belonged to
the Bengal Artillery, and accompanied the expedition
to Kandy in 1803, and that he was a. patient in hospital
when Major Davie capitulated to the Kandyans on the
24th June. When he was asked how he had retained
a knowledge of the English language, having for such
a number of years associated with Kandyans only, "I,
being a foreigner," said he, " never could speak the
English language correctly ; but having found a few
leaves of an English Bible, belonging to one of the
soldiers, I read them occasionally, and, by that means,
preserved some acquaintance with the language." The
writer conduct.ed him to Major Hook, by whom he was
conveyed to head-quarters, and introduced to his Ex-
cellency.
. Of the sick who were left in the hospital on the capitu-
lation of Kandy in June 1803; Thomas Thoen was the
only one who escaped with bis life, Along with the
othet patients; he . received a blow with the butt-end of
a m11Sket, which felled him senseless to the ground, and
he was thrown among the dead. Having recovered from
the e~e~ts of the _blow, ht1 crawled to a place of conceal-
D1g1tized by Google
t
156 BlSTOBICAL 8XETCH.
ment in the neighbourhood, but being discovered next

day, was hung up to the branch of a tree. The rope,
however, broke, and he fell to the ground; he was again
suspended, the people left him, and,11g&in the rope broke.
He contrived to find his way to a but at no great distance,
where he continued for ten days, without any other sus-
tenance than the grass which grew near the door of the
hut, and the rain which dropped through apertures
o, the roo At the expiration of the above period, an
old woman entered the hut, but, seeing Thoen, in-
stantly disappeared. T~ bis great surprise, she soon
after returned, bringing with her a dish containing
a quantity of dressed rice, which she left on the ground,
and went away. Next morning Thoen was taken be-
fore the king, who, struck with the singularity of bis
fate, obse"ed that it was not for man to injure one who
was so evidently the favourite of Heaven. The king
then ordered that he should be supplied with food, giving
him, at the same time, in charge of one of the chiefs,
with strict injunctions to treat him with kindness and
attention. A house was allotted to him in Kandy ; and
he, after some time, married the daughter of a Moorman,
a circumstance which, be told the writer, contributed
greatly to his comfort. He 'Was never permitted to see
Major Davie ; and it is alleged that a woman who had
conveyed a message from Thoen to the Major was put
to death. General Brownrigg appointed Thoen to a
.suitable situation in Galle, where he soon after .died.
Information having been obtained that the king was
still at no great distance from the capital, no time was
lost in adopting means to intercept his retreat to some
distant province, more especially to the province of U wa.
.A detachment o~troops,accompanied by Mr D'O.rle.r and
Eheylapola, was; on the 16th, despatched to the district
of Doombera, whither it was presumed the king bad
retired. On the 18th, the king was ~en prisoner, with
two of his wives, in the house of a subordinate head
man, about a mile beyond Medda Maha N uwera. His
two remaining wives and his mother were at Hangwelle,
a short distance off'; .and being sent for, with convey-
ances and an escort, were brought to Teldinya to join
the king. It appears that the few Malabar attendant.a
remaining with the king made some resistance, and
wounded one of the assailant.a under the command of
Eheylapola,on which the partyfired upon the house. The
king then appeared, and delivered himself up. His
pursuers forthwith bound and plundered him of what-
ever articles of value he had in his possession.
Next morning, Mr D'Oyley found him in compan:,
with his mother, his wives, and other members of his
family, who were all in great consternation and afflic-
tion, fearing that some greater evil might befall them.
Mr D'Oyley &88nred them that they should be treated
with respect and attention. The king was, at first, .
reserved ; but being informed that he should meet with
kind treatment, he betrayed evident signs of emotion,
and taking the hands of his aged mother and four wives,
he presented them in succession to Mr D'Oyley, and
recommended them, in the most solemn and aff'ecting
manner, to his protection.
The report of the capture of the king reached General
Brownrigg on the 19th, while he was at dinner with a
amall party of oflicers, The intelligence being highly
Despatch from General Brownrigg k> Lord Baihunt, bearing

date 25th Febnuuy 1815,-(..t..o/ &gut,J
D1g1tized by Google
gratifying, and in many respects of the utmost import-

ance, his Excellency became greatly affected. He stood
up at table, and, while the tears rolled down his cheeks,
shook hands with every one present, and thanked them
for their exertions in furtherance of an object which
seemed to be nearly accomplished, and which had been
vainly attempted for nearly three centuries by three
European powers in succession-the conquest of the
kingdom of Kandy. "From this day," says Knighton,
"we may date the extinction of Ceylonese independence,
an independence which bad continued without any
material interruption for 2357 years."-K,-igAton, p. 325.
It having been deemed inexpedient, for many reasons,
to bring the king to the capital, measures were adopted
to send him, under a strong escort, to Colombo, without
4pa9sing through Kandy. The charge of the royal
prisoner was intruated to Major Hook, the sense of
whose services during the campaign it was intended to
mark by this selection. On the 6th March, the king aud
hie family arrived at. Colombo, where they were received
by Colonel Kerr, the commandant of the garrison, with
the respect due to their fallen fortunes. The prison or
house provided for him was spacious, and handsomely
fitted up, He was obviously well pleased with his new
abode, aud upon entering. it, observed, " As I am no
longer permitted to- be a king, I am thankful for the
kindness and attention which have been shown to me.,.
Immediately after the capture of the king, measures
were put in progress for permanently settling the govern
ment of the newly acquired territory. The proelama-
The writer of this Sketch happened to be sitting beside hie

Excellency the Governor on this occaeion,
ENGLISH PERIOD, 181[,. 159
tion which his Excellency had issued at the commence~
ment of the war,. promiaed to the chiefs a continuance
of their respective ranks and dignities ; to the people.
relief from all arbitrary severities and oppreBBions ; and
to all classes,the inviolate maintenance of their religion,
and the prese"ation of their ancient laws and institu
tions ; and it was now deemed expedient to convoke an
assembly of the head men, for the purpose of a.ftwng
their signature to a convention, which was to secure to
the British government the possession of the kingdom
of Kandy.
As a preliminary measure to the signing of a conven-
tion, an official declaration of the appropriation of the
Kandyan provinces by the English government was
promulgated, The commencement of this declaration
:was supposed to bear some resemblance to the style of
the letter addressed by Bonaparte to George the Third
personally, under the title of "Sir and Brother." The
declaration began as follows :-" Led by the invitation
of the chiefs, and welcomed by the acclamations of the
people, the forces of his Britannic Majeaty have entered
the Kandyan territory, and penetrated to the capital.
Divine Providence has blessed their efforts with uniform
and complete success. The ruler of the interior provinces
has fallen into their hands, and the government remains
at the disposal of bis Majesty's representatives." The
document then goes on to enumerate in detail the king's
alleged delinquencies, and concludes with the following
paragraph :-" Contemplating these atrocities, the im-
Bonaparte commenced his letter, which was dated the 2d day

of January 1805 1 in the following terms:-" Called to the throne
of France by Providence and the snifragea of the aenate, the people,
and the army," &c.
160 BISTORICAL SDTCU.
possibility of establishing with such a man any civilized

relations either of peace or war ceases to be a subject of
regret, since his Majesty's arms, hitherto employed in the
generous purpose of relieving the oppressed, would be
tarnished and disgraced in being instrumental to the
restoration of a dominion exercised in a perpetual out-
rage to everything which is sacred in the constitution
or functions of a legitimate govemmeat."-( Vide Appen-
dix, No. VIII.)
On these grounds a solemn conference or conventioa
was held in the audience-ball of the palace of Kandy,
on the 2d March, between his Excellency the governor,
on behalf of his Majesty and of his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, on the ene part, and thct adikars, dis-
saves, and other principal chiefs of the Ka.ndyan pro
,inces, as alleged, on the other part, on behalf of the
people.
Al! bas been already stated, the conference was held
in the great hall of andience in the palace ; but the
govemor declined using the adjoining room, where the
king usually sat, cross-legged, on an elevated throne on
occasions of ceremony, and ebose to be placed within
the hall, at the upper end, with his back to the door of
that room, which was divided off by a screen.
The troops composing the garrison of Kandy, together
with the corps of Ceylon Light Dragoons, which hMI
been brought to Kandy for the occasion, were drawn up
at three o'clock in the great square before the palace,
forming a lane through which the adikars and principal
chiefs passed to the ball.
The conference was conducted with great ceremony.
Eheylapola, a remarkably fine, intelligent-looking man,
was the first who entered the hall of the ~ . He
was received with particular marks of respect . by his
Excellency, and seated on a chair on his right hand.
Molligodda, who had been appointed fint adikar, then
came forward, leading in the dis._ves of provinces, and
other principal chiefs, about twenty in number. The
governor rose up to receive them, and, with Eheylapola,
continued standing throughout the conference. The
ball was lined on both sides by British officers.
The conference began with complimentary inquiries
on the part of the chiefs, which were graciously answered
by the governor, and mutual inquiries made. His Ex-
cellency thanked the dissaves for the attention paid to
the troops, in their progress to the capital, which gave
occasion to the chiefs to observe, that they considered
them as protectors, and that, by the arrival of his Ex-
cellency and the army, they had been rescued from
tyranny and oppression.
The governor observed, he was gratified in having
been the means of their deliverance ; he assured them
of full protection in their persons, their property, and
all their rights ; and added, that while he had the honour
of holding the administration of the island, it would be
his study to make them experience the blessings of his
Majesty's benign government.
It was then intimated to the chiefs, that a document
had been prepared, expressive of the principles by which
the administration of his Majesty's government of the
Kandyan provinces would be guided, and that it was
about to be read, 1!hich they requested might be done.
The document in question-or treaty, as it has been
called-was read in English by Mr Sutherland, Deputy-
Secretary to government, and afterwards in Singalese.
His Excellency's part of the conference was communi.
cated to Mr D'Oyley, and by him to Molligodda adikar,
who delivered it aloud to the audience.
16i HISTORICAL SKETCH;
Millawa, Dissave of Velassy, was the organ of the

assembly : he seemed to collect the sentiments of the
chiefs generally in silence, but with occasional explan&~
tion, and delivered them to Molligodda. Eheylapola,
though not officially engaged in the conference, appeared.
to take an interest in what was going on. His carriage
was distinguished by a courtly address, politeness, and
ease, and he appeared to be regarded by the assembled
chiefs with a high degree of deference and respect.
After the treaty was read in Singalese, the Adikar
Molligodda, and the other chiefs, proceeded to the prin-
cipal door of the hall, where the Mohottales, Coraals,
Vidaans, and other subordinate head men from the dif-
ferent provinces, were attending, accompanied with a
few followers ; and the head men being called upon by
the adikar to range themselves in order, according to
their respective districts, the treaty was again read in
Millawa was, in several respects, one of the most distinguished
among the chiefs assembled on this occasion. He was thus de-
scribed by a gentleman present:-" His figure, the tallest of the
~efs, waa erect and portly; a high, prominent forehead, a full
eye, and a strong expression of natural vivacity, tempered ~th
the gravity of advanced age, marked by a long, full, and graceful
white beard, and the whole, combined with his rich state-dress,
formed a subject for a portrait truly worthy of an able hand."
He was a great favourite of the deposed king, and remained with
him till a late period. He had excellent natural talents, and was
distinguished for sagacity and acuteness of intellect. He lived iu
a state of poliandry, he and his brother having one wife in com-
mon. This species of marriage is not confined to any rank or
caste of the Singalese, being more or less frequent amongst both
rich and poor. The apology of the poor is, that they cannot
afford each to have a particular wife, while the rich say that such
a union connects families, and concentrates property. The joint
husbands are generally, if not always, brothers. The children call
.the elder brother " great papa," and the younger, "little ~ "
The venerable Millawa having been suspected of favouring the
nvolt which broke out in 1817, was arrested and coililned at
Colombo, where he.died a atate,.prisoner .in 1.822.
.,

Singalese, at the conclusion: of which, the British ilag
was hoisted for the first time in the to1JD of Kandy, and
a royal salute from the cannon, which bad with infinite
labour been dragged up the hills, &IUIOllll08d bis Ma.
jesty George the Third sovereign of the whole Island
of Ceylon. That p_ortion of the population which had
returned to the town of Kandy evinced no concern io
the business which was going on in the palace. They
did not leave their ordinary avocations even to look at
. the troops which were assembled, in review order, in the
great square before the audience hall. Apparently,
they regarded the transfer of the government from an
Oriental to a European dynasty with perfect indifference.
By this so.called treaty, or proclamation, it was de
clared, '' that the Rajah Sri Wickreme Rajah Singha, by
the habitual violation of the chief and most sacred
duties of a sovereign, has forfeited all claims to that
title, or the powers annexed to the same, and is declared
fallen and deposed from the office of king ; ' his family
and relatives, whether in the ascending, ~escending, or
collateral line, and whether by affinity or blood, are also
for ever excluded from the throne." This is probably
a singular instance of a regular treaty between a
sovereign of one country and the unauthorised chiefs of
another, to deprive a king of his throne, and for ever to
exterminate his dynasty, on account of the imputed
severities of his government; The treaty itself is a
virtual acknowledgment, on the part of the British
government, that " a habitual violation of the chief and
most sacred duties of a sovereign" constitutes a for-
feiture of sovereignty. It also declared," that the
dominion of the Kandyan provinces is vested in the
sovereign of the British empire, and to be exercised
through his aooredited agents, leaving to the chiefs

appointedby authority, the right.sand privileges of their

respective offices, and to all classes of the people the
safety of their persons and property, with all their civil
rights and immunities, according to the laws, institu-
tions, and customs, e~blished and in force, among
them;" and, further, that "the religion of Boo.dhoo, pro-
fessed by the chiefs and inhabitants of the Kandyan
provinces, is declared inviolable, and its rites, ministers,
and _places of worship, are to be maintained and pro-
tected."-( Vide Appendix IX.)
It was rumoured at the time, that the alleged treaty
was drawn up with sufficient care not to infringe certain
prejudices of the chiefs, the indulgence of which was
understood to be a sine qua non of their professed sub-
mission to a European power. Among these prejudices,
perhaps, the preservation of the religion of Boodhoo
was considered of the highest importance, and another;
hardly inferior in their estimation, was the recognition
and continuance of their local institutions.
By this memorable proclamation or convention, it ap-
pears that the English govemment recognises and adopts
the principle of making sovereigns accountable for their
abuse of the power intrnsted to them, the King of
Kandy being, according to the Edinburgh Review,
dethroned for misgovernment, ca,Aiered for oft'ences com-
mitted against his subjects, caUed to account for his
actions, and punis"6d for abuse of power.-EdinburgA
Bei,iew, vol. :u:vi. page 439. .
Thus did the British government, by the right of
eonquest,aasume, without reservation, the same arbitrary
and absolute authority over the 4estinies of the Kandyan
people, wbi.ch bad, by immemorial usage, been possessed
by_the despotic monarchs of Kandy
.The Kand1an cbjefs appear tQ h~ve tacitl7 acquiesced
in the 1llllal unlimited assumption of power which con.
quest is presumed to confer in India. Few persons
present at the solemn conference gave the chiefs credit
for acting with sincerity and honesty of purpose in
lending their sanction to a transfer of the dominion of
the Kandyan provinces to the sovereign of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, it being generally
believed that in seeming to do so, they submitted with
reluctance, but with admirable grace, to the force of
circumstances, and did as they were desired, leaving to
time the development of the result. The Kandyans, it
may be observed, considered all innovation as subversive
of their ancient government, which, as in like cases, was
in their estimation the best of all possible constitutions.
As to the reason assigned for seizing the country, namely,
to relieve the inhabitants from oppression, it may be
observed, that civilized nations assume a sort of inher-
ent right to regulate the polioy of the more barbarous
communities, humanity being frequently assigned as the
pretext for subjugating a country, while conquest is
the real and ultimate object of commencing hostilities.
There seems to be room to suspect some lurking f&llacy
in an argument which gives a specious colour of human-
ity and beneficence to the gratification of a passion so
strong and so general as the love of conquest.
Thus ended for the time Eheylapola's prospects of
becoming sovereign of Kandy. His main object in per-
suading General Brownrigg to invade the Kandyan
country was, it is presumed, that he should himself be
raised to the throne, which be expected to hold by the
protect.ion of the British power. It will readily be coa-
ceived that he felt much disappointed, when General
Brownrigg promulgated his determination to annex the
kingdom of Kandy to the British empire. He con.
166 'HISTORICAL SKETCH.
ducted himself, however, with much dignity and decorum.

He declined official employment, preferring, as he al
leged, to live in retirement, having solicited only the
title of TM Friend of tM Briti,A G0t,emment. He
married again, and resided in Kandy, where he lived in
considerable state, and was regarded by the natives as
' the great chief of the country. He was universally
admitted to be the most talented of all the Kandyan
chiefs.
The deposed king, as has been stated, reached
Colombo on the 6th March, where he remained until
the 24th January 1816, when he and all his relations,
dependents, and adherents, amounting to about I 00
individuals, were transferred to the peninsula of India,
first to Madras, and finally to the fort of Vellore.
Sri Wickreme Rajah Singha, the deposed King of
Kandy, was about five feet nine or ten inches in height,
slightly corpulent, stoutly made, and muscular. He had
a pleasant e.xpreBBion of countenance, a handsome beard,
broad shoulders, and a full chest. His figure was manly,
and his general appearance dignified. He did not ap
pear to the writer to be deficient in intellect, and was
generally much more affable and good-humoured than
could be e.xpec~d of a deposed king in a state of con-
finement. Having been placed on the throne by a pro-
fessed friend, but in reality an inveterate intriguing
enemy, for the intriguer's own aggrandizement, his
situation as king was attended with insuperable diffi-
culties. Like a man blindfolded and in fetters, he could
neither see nor move but as the adikar directed him.
With a faithless minister, and a powerful ambitious
hostile neighbour, who was ever ready to encourage
traitors, provided he might benefit by the treason, his
throne was surrounded by the most embarrassing per
. ------
plexities,~ifficulties which would have required a per
son of great natural talents to surmount. The character
of a native sovereign is so much influenced by that of
the people over whom he rules, and particularly by the
personal qualities of the persons by whom he governs,
together with the circumstances under which he is placed,
that it is often difficult to discover or to appreciate his
natural disposition.
For some time after the king's inauguration, he is
represented to have been the agent or tool of Pilimi
Talawa; and, in subserriency to the ambition or ven-
geance of this minister, he was, it is alleged, easily
induced to sanction very unwarrantable measnres. With
respect to the savage massacre of the British troops in
1803, it is possible that Pilimi Talawa was a much more
" influential agent in carrying it into effect than the king.
Major Beaver, who was in Ceylon at the time, and con-
fidentially employed by the Honourable Mr North,
asserts that " the adikar was the planner and perpetrator
of the atrocious butchery-a fact acknowledged by the
king himself.'' The adikar, from his station at court,
had evidently the power of issuing what mandates he
pleased, and preventing any complaints from reaching
the throne, on which account it is difficult to appreciate
the merits or demerits of the king.
Not having a minister in whom he could place any
confidence, he lived under the constant fear of con-
spiracies. Until he was made a prisoner, he said, he
had never retired to rest without the dread of assassina-
tion, Fear produces 'Oppression, and oppression excites
fe'ar. He trusted none of his courtiers ; and it is doubt-
ful if any one of the chiefs deserved his confidence. He
punished traitors as traitors are generally punished,
namely, with merciless severity; and, being a passionate
I
,
168 . BISTOBlCAL SUTCH;
man. it is alleged he was liable to condemn the accused

without adequate inYestigation, " The English gover
nors," said he to Major Hook, "have an advantage over
us in Kandy; they have counsellors about them, who
never allow them to do any thing in a passion, and
that is the reason you have so few punishments ; but,
unfortunately for us, the oft'ender is dead before our
resentment has subsided."
It may be observed, that, horrible as his punishments
were, they were much in the ordinary course of things
under Oriental despotisms, where subjects are beheaded,
impaled, or mutilated, at their rulers' caprice, as easily
as the subjects of one European country are transported,
in another, imprisoned, or flogged. However revolting
the barbarous punishments of some countries in the East
may be, they are as much established by cus~m and
immemorial usage, and are as comtitutional and as much
authorised. by the royal prerogati1'e, as the milder forms
of misgovernment are in the West. The king, when
he was deposed, was not judged according to the princi-
ples of his own country and dtate of society ; he was
judged by the humane and enlightened principles of a
more civilized region of the world-for misbehaving, in
fact, beyond the limits of European toleration.-Edin-
l>urgA Remew, vol. nvi.
To enable the reader to judge fairly and impartially
of the character of the King of Kandy, he should be
,tried by the standard of ~is own country, by the spirit.
of the Kandyan government, and the us11ges of Oriental
despotisms, together with the circumstances in which he
was placed. These conditions must be properly under-
stood, before a correct estimate can be made of the real
merits of his case. Like Peter the Great of Russia, he
was " a despot by condition and necessity." Even
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1815.
'among the despotic governments of civilized Europe,

some sovereigns have committed atrocious acts of op-
pression and cruelty, without being eonsidered uaworthy
to retain their crown. Frederick II. of Prussia, in some
respects, evinced as much. inhumanity, perhaps I may
say as much barbarity, in punishing alleged delinquents,
as has been recorded of Oriental despots. Without any
previous examination by legal authority, a secular cler-
gyman was hanged, and the Governor of Spandau was
'beheaded on the authority of a mere order by him.
These and many other acts of similar atrocity were
onlered by a European despot, whom the world digni-
fies with the title of "Great;" "a title," says Lord
Brougham, " which is the less honourable, that man-
kind have generally agreed to bestow it upon those to
whom their gratitude was least of all due."
Some of-the king's most severe measures, it is alleged,
were ordered to be carried into effect while he was in a
state of inebriety, he ha-ving become liable to paroxysms
of intemperance ; and, from the great quantity of
Hoffinan's cherry brandy bottles round in the palace, it
may be inferred that he was fond of that liqueur.
The crouching obeisance paid to the king was a part
and parcel of the institutions and usages of the Kandyan
oourt. The manners and customs of olle court differ
from those of another without any reference to the indi-
vidual character of the reigning sovereign. In this
country, courtiers leave the royal presence moving back-
wards; whereas, in Kandy, they had, from time imme-
morial, retired on: all-fours.
The king devoted much of his time to business and to
bearing causes in litigation, his leisure being spent in
listening to music and in superintending his artists and
WGrkmen, a large number of whom he employed in
B
'
l Digitized by Goog Ie
'l'iO BISTOBICAL SKETCH.
beautifying his grounds, and in decorating his palace and

city.
He was unpopular among the chiefs, but not among
the middle and lower claeeee of hie subjects, whose
rights an<l privileges he frequently defended against the
injustice and oppression of the aristocracy or nobles.
By protecting the poorer el&BSes against their tyranny
and extortion, he created formidable opponents-ene-
mies whose ambition, resentment, and influence, he
could not eft'eetually restrain, and whose vengeance Jed
to his deposition.
" It has been frequently stated, that the king had, by
his tyranny, forfeited the loyalty and attachment of the
. great body of the people, but this imputation is not wcll-
founded. His quarrels were with the chiefs, and the
chiefs alone ; and, perhaps, the circumstance which
particularly rendered him obnoxious to the hatred of
the chiefs, was the disposition he evinced of a determina-
tion to protect the people from the oppr888ion of the
aristocracy, the real tyrants of the country. "-Simon
Saww,' MS. Note, cm the Conquest of Kandy.
Whatever information we possess in regard to the
King of Kandy, has been obtained chiefly from adverse
parties, who may have maguifi.ed his vices, without oon-
sidering the condition of Kandyan society, or giving him
due credit for the difficulties of hie situation, and the
praiseworthy disposition he displayed towards the subor-
dinate classes of his subject.a. It is said that he admin-
istered justice with great impartiality, except in cases
of treason or suspected treason, when: all the severities
of Oriental despotism were put in force. He has been
accused of ingratitude towards Pilimi Talawa, to whom
he owed the crown of Kandy ; but, considering the
object the adibr had in elevating him to the throne,
. DigitizedbyGoogle
and bis long comae of treaaonable. conduct, it may be

aaked, Was any gratitude due to him? Cordiner
characterises him. on bia elevation to the throne, aa
" a young Malabar, of inferior extraction, and no
talent.a. He was a cadet of the royal house of Madura;
and although, at eighteen years of age, Pilimi Talawa
presumed that his abilities were of an inferior order,
experience proved that he had BUfficient talent to control
for a considerable period the turbulent chiefs of the
country, and to bring the head of this ambitious, un-
principled trait.or t.o the block.
The predominating feeling of his mind, after he was
made a prisoner, was indignation at the treatment he
had received from his OWD subject.a, more especially the
chiefs. "Take care," said he, "of Eheylapola and
Molligedda ; they deceived me, and they will deceive
you." He gave government an account of the places
where his treaaure was hidden ; o'beerving, that it mat-
tered little what became of it, provided the chiefs a.nd
people did not benefit by bis property. He did not
generally show any reluctanoo to discuss Kandyan mat-
ters. The writer of this Sketch, who had been requested
to visit him profeuiooally, found him frank and aifable,
and willing to converse upon uy eabject which was
,tarted. In the course of coo.venation, he observed,-
" Had my people behave~ as they ought t.o have done,
I would have, sbown you whether I was a man or a
woman. Twice duriag my reign have you obtained
po88888ion of the town of Ka.ndy, and twice have you
been very glad to get out of it.'' Writ# : " Your
people, it is true, did not make much resistance on
some of the routes to tb.e capital ; but the force in
the Three and Four Corles behaved tolerably well."
King : " It is of no use to talk of the taste of food after
it is in the belly." The king then asked the writer a

number of questions, suhh as, How long he had been in
Ceylon ? How far he had come Y How long he bad been
on board ship? And for what purpose he had left Europe?
Writer: "I belong to the medical department of the
army, and my duties are chiefly to take care of sick
soldiers." King : " You must be a good man, to travel
so far for so commendable a purpose. Would you like to
be at home ?" Writer: "Yes." King: " Think what is
the exact form of your house ; is it square or round ? "
Writer : " My house is square." King : " Then you
are at home, your thoughts being there ; the mind is of
the first moment-the body, though absent, being of
comparatively little importance." In the course of con
versation he entered upon a discussion in regard to the
cause of thunder and lightning. Some allusion having
been made to the severity of the king's punishments, he
rather testily observed, " I governed my kingdom ae
cording to the $basters "-Hindoo or Brahminieal law.
books, of which the Institutes of Manu are said to have
obtainecj. the highest reputation .. Manu professes to have
great confidence in the utility of punishments. " Pun-
ishment," says he, " governs all mankind ; punishment
alone preserves them ; punishment wakes, while their
guards are asleep. The wis.e consider punishment as
the perfection of justice. The
whole race of men is kept in order by punishment, for a
guiltless man is hard to be found."-Law, of Manu.
On the 24th January 18i6, the king, with his family,
embarked at Colombo, on board H. M. ship Cornwallis,
for Madras. He was taken to the water side in the
governor's carriage, and his ladies were accommodated
with palanquins. They were closely veiled as they went
into the boat ; and, during their embarkation, which
took up some time, the king stood by and assisted by
giving orders to his own people, with much composure
aud presence of mind. He was very handsomely dressed,
and his large trousers drawn close upou his ankles, re-.
minded the spectators of the figure of Rajah Singha, as
given by Knox. The king embarked; with his wives and
mother:in-law, in the captain's barge, and the attendants
in another. The wind was high, and the boats encount-
ered a good deal of sea in their passage to the ship,
They were all taken into the ship by means of an accom-
modation-chair. Some of the ladies were greatly alarmed,
while others suffered much from sea-sickness. The king
showed no indication of fear; and, considering that he
was carried through a rough sea, which he had not been
upon since his infancy,"to an English man-of-war, which
he had not seen before, it must be acknowledged that his
whole deportment indicated considerable dignity and
firmness of mind.
He died at Vellore, on the afternoon of the 30th of
January 1832, aged 52 years, having been seventeen
years a state prisoner. At the desire of the family, the
body was conveyed tp the place of burning before sun-
set, 'under the escort of a military guard, and accom-
panied by his male relatives and servants.
'From the commencement of the month in which he
died, the reports of the native medical attendants respect-
ing his health were considered very unsatisfactory ; and
he was visited by Mr Reid, an English surgeon, who
found him afflicted with general dropsy. Heat first con-
18Dted to abide by Mr Reid's prescriptions, but after-
wards declined his assistance, and again called in his
native doctors.
He left one son, born in exile.
The administration of the Kandyan provinces, under
l
174 BISTOBICAL Sl[ETCB.
the local govemment, vas condneted by a Board est.ah

lished at Kandy, consisting of a resident, a judicial
commissioner, and a revenue comminioner, together
with the commanding officer of the troops in the interior.
This Board, with the adikars and the principal chiefs,
formed the greot court of justice, from whose l!leDtence
there was no appeal except to the govemor. Besides the
Board, and subordinate agents of government in Uwa,
Saft'ragam, and the Three Corlee, the civil authority of
the country was exercised, as formerly, by the native
diYa""a and Rat.emahatmeyas. .
The military force which was kllpt in the interi~r
amounted to 1700 or 1800 men, who we~ stationed at
about eleven different posts.
Molligodda, the obsequious minister of the deposed
king, and the active promoter of some of his most inde
fensible measures, wM, as has been already stated, con-
firmed in the high office of first adikar. Eheylapola, to
whom this appointment was offered, begged to decline the
situation.
Little of any' importance took place in the newly &c
quiredprovincesfrom thisperiod till themonthofOctober
1817, when an insurrection occurred, which required all
the power of the British government to suppre88.
For many reasons, the Kandyans of all grades dis-
liked the English. Differing in race, language, religion,
customs, habits, and modes of thinking, the British rule
could not but be for a long time highly unpalatable to
them. Under the former government, the chiefs were
presumed to patronize the poorer classes, who were in
their turn gratified with the regard and countenance of
the comparatively wealthy. But there was no habitual
sympathy between the English and the different ranks of
Kandyans-no community of feeling ; indeed, many cir-
cumstances were of a repulsive natur{I. In the adminis-
tration of justice the English authorities did not recog..
nise any distinction of caste, or any privileged class.
They were as ready to hear the complaints of the poor
as of the rich, by which the advantages of the wealthy
were curtailed, and the long recognised privileges of
caste disregarded.
The vices of the Kandyan conrts, comprehending the
undue privileges of caste or office, and the corruption
and venality of the chiefs, were not so intolerable to the
people, who were creatures of the system, as they
appear to us. The change being abrnpt, the population
in general did not appreciate the alleged advantages,
while the chiefs were very sensible of their Ion of
emoluments and eclipsed dignity.
The Kandyans wed to inquire when the English
intended to retum to the maritime provinces. " You
. have now,'' said one, "deposed the king, and nothing
more is required-you may leave us." The people
showed no dislike to us individually, bnt as a nation
they abhorred us. They seemed to entertain a supersti-
tious notion, that . the English could not live in ~he
Kandyan territory. They made no complaint of op-
pression or misrule, contenting themselves with expre88-
ing a wish that we should leave the country. Conversing
on this subject, a subordinate chief observed to an officer,
that the British rule in the Kandyan country was as
incompatible as yoking a buffiuo and a cow in the same
plough. No nation or class of people ever suddenly
renounced their prejudioes, and adopted the habita and
modes of thinking of another nation, even under favour-
able circumstances ; and still leu is it likely that a
vanquished people will love and esteem a nation by
whom they have be11n subjugated.
l D1g1tized by Google
176 Bl&TOIUC.A.L SIETCIL
The author of ".A NarnJtifJe of Eeent, toW iatie

oocuff'M in Oeylon," alleges, that when General Brown-
rigg invaded the kingdm of Kandy, he concluded" that
a people long oppressed coald not but wish for deliver-
ance ; he felt that the natives of the interior could not
but contrast the mildness and j11Stice of British govern-
ment with the remorseless and unrelenting despotism of
their own." We do not, however, see this sentiment
often verified by experience in India or any where else.
It is never safe or wise to reason on the conduct of a
people .widely different from ourselves in religion and
manners, upon the same prin01ples which govern the
policy of Christian States. Nations usually regret the
intervention of professed friends in their quarrels, and
they have commonly ample cause to do so. The Kan-
dyans had grown up under an unlimited monarchy, they
knew nothing of government but the dependence of the
governed upon the will of one person, and were, from
tradition and habit, attached to it. Governments and
governed are . commonly more or less mutually adapted
to each other.; they become in some degree identified.
A despot is admitted to be, in a certain sense, a pos-
se&eor of unlimited power, which he may employ in the
oppression of his subjects, but it is not necessary that
he should do so. The British government assumed the
despotism of .the fallen monarch ; the people having no.
legal power to control the decrees of the governor more
than they had to modify the orders of the king. One
despotism had given place to another ; in practice, the
common people .found that the alleged .moderation of
the English government differed very little from .the
exactions .of their former ruler. However just the ad-
ministration of the local government may have beeq,
it was not liked; it wal! a. foreign yok~, .an~ for tha~,
_i

and other causes, was regarded with aversion by all

classes and ranks of .iie people, Besides, the Kandyans
had been long taught to hate the government of the
maritime provinces, and they had abundant reason to
entertain hostile feelings towards it, the two powers
having been little at peace for nearly 300 years.
To an unlimited despotism, the Kandyans had volun-
tarily submitted for many ages, and, although unre-
stricted, the government had been generally exercised in
accordance with certain recognised usages under an
implied.obligation to act for the good of the governed.
The chiefs reprobated any change in the forms of
government, arid the common people appeared to con-
sider an alteration of their institutions as downright
impiety. Personal consideration was the chief purpose
of life, and political power the sole object of ambition of
a Kandyan chief. According to the condition of l!OCiety,
he could not achieve elevation either by superior know-
ledge or by wealth, and hence the anxiety of the
factitiouslyennobled to preserve their comparative eleva-
tion in society by the privileges of rank, and by assum-
ing a superiority over the humbler class of the popula-
tion.
Dr Davy, who had peculiar opportunities of obtaining
information respecting Kandyan affairs, thus describes
thefeelings of the people towards their British rulers:
" There was no sympathy between us and them, no one
circumstance to draw or bring us together, and innu-
merable ones of a repulsive nature, The chiefs, though
leas controlled than under the king, and exercising more
power in their districts than they ever before ventured
to exert, were far from satisfied. Before, no one but
the king was above them, now they were inferior to
every civilian in our service-to every officer in our
H2

178 Hl!lTORICAL SKETCH,
army. Though officially treated with respect, it was

only officially, as common soldien passed a proud
Kandyan chief with as little attention as be wonld a
'fell~w of the lowest caste. Thus they considered them-
11eln,s degraded and shorn of their aplendour. The
people, in general, bad similar feelings on this score, at
least the respectable and most considerable portion of
the population."
" These are a few only of the leading circumstances
which tended to render the natives averse from us and
our government, and anxious to att.empt to throw it
otf."-(Account of cls lntfflot' of C~lon, page 326.)
It is not sufficient that a government is just, it must
also be palatable ; and to render a subjugated people,
more espeoially an Oriental people, submissive and con-
tented subject.a, is a matter of some difflcnlty. Con-
neoted with our own interest, we may endeavour to
promote their welfare, but if, in doing eo, we otfend
their prejudices, we shall find that it is an arduous task
to legislate for a people against their own will. Man-
kind adhere to their usages and customs with more
tenacity than to their laws, and a subjugt.ted people will
'bear oppression with more resignation than contempt.
Indeed, it baa been sagaciously observed, that " perhaps
the worst enemy to human interests is the man who
wonld endeavour to force a law, even good in it.aelf, upon
a society that bad not become sufficiently advanced to
be prepared for its reception."
Notwithstanding the antipathy with which the English
were regarded by the Kandyans, the people "!'ere not;
generally, prepared to submit to the regal control of one
of their own ehiefa, Mutualjealonsy among the wealthy
families apparently preTeoted the formation of a formid-
able conapiracy for the purpose of expelling the English.
Eheylapola, although he was universally admitted to be
an able and talented chief, had no great or general as-
cendancy OTer the other chiefs, excepting with the head
men and people of the province of Saft'ragam, who bad
previoualy come forward in .his cause. The principal
cl:iiefs would, apparently, rather accede for a time, at
lea.at, to the rule of the Briti1h government, than pro-
mote Eheylapola's ambitious views of assuming sovereign
power. When the insurrection broke out in October
1817, there is every reaaon for belienng that no organ-
ized conspiracy against the English existed among any
class of the inba.bitants of the Kandyan country : but
uniformity of feeling supplied the place of organization ;
they all wished to be quit of us.
" That the establishment of the British power over
the Kandyan chiefs of all grades, from the highest to
the lowest, would be very unpalat.able and galling, was
quite obvious to any one acquainted with the feelings
and cuatoms of the people. The chiefs and higher
classes of the Kandyans were greatly offended at what
we called the impa.rtia.l administ.ration ofjustice, whereby
the privileges and civil distinctions of caste were prac-
tically extinguished ; but however general this inimical
feeling to the Engliah was throughout the whole country,
it was not sufllciently strong to aubdM the jealousy of
the chiefs towards each other. In short, the outbreak
of the rebellion in the province of V elassy was purely
accidental, and the chiefs and people of the other pro-
vinces were as much taken by surprise as were the
English authorities.-(Simon SatMl's' MS. Note,.)
On this occasion, the Kandyan population rose against
the British govemment, probably more from ancieut
habits and obedience to their chiefs, or from fear of
their neighbours who had revolt4!d, than from any well:
180 BI8TORlCAL ~lt.ETCH~
digested principle of independence, or any intention to

emancipate themselves from the thraldom of Bajecaria,
(compulsory labour,) the priacipal exaction of which
they complained.
On the 5th of August 1817, Sir Robert and LadJ
JJrownrigg left Colombo, for the purpose of proceeding
to Trincomalee bJ the way of Kandy. Sir Robert was
met at Gonarooa Ferry, two or three miles _from Kandy,
by a large concourse of chiefs and numerous followers,
in great state, and no reception could be more gratifying.
The governor remained in Kandy, transacting business,
until the 26th September, when he continued his jour,
ney with Lady Brownrigg, and on the 3d October the
party arrived at Trincomalee.
The Velasay Moormen, an active, enterprising bodJ
of ~dyan merchants, were the first portion of the
population of the newly-acquired territory who became
useful .to the English, more especially by furnishing
carriage,cattle to the commissariat, for the purpose of
conveying stores and provisions from the coast stations.
This class of the population formed an intermediate link
between the traders in the maritime district of Batt.i
!)allo and the interior provinces. They supplied, for
example, almost all the salt which was used in the KJ.n.
4:iyan country, and as this was an expensive article,
~ing mi>nopolized and highly taxed by government, the
traders required to possess a considerable amount of
capital, Although the Moormen had petty head men
of their own caste, they were, like the other classes of
inhabitants, completely under the sub-regal control of
~he c:lissave and other Singalese chiefs of the province of
Velassy. These chiefs levied heavy taxes and fines from
~he M~ormen, and insis~d upon obtaining from them
. ~t they require4i,. .as well as other ~icl~s
whatever ' .,
of
Digitized ~y Goog Ie
trade, at their own price, and sometimes, as is alleged,
without any remuneration. lo consequence of extortions
of this kind, the Moormeo solicited General Brownrigg,
through Colonel Hardy, to be placed under a head man
of their .own religious persuasion, and their request was
granted, Hadjee, a Moorman who received the ap-
pointment, was a person of superior intellect, and highly
respected among his own caste, not only on account of
his natural talents, but also in consequence of having
made a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Moormeo forthwith
practically renounced the authority of the Siogalese or
Kandyan head men, and withheld some of the dues
which they bad been accustomed to pay, either in kind
or in money. Being deprived of their usual revenue,
the chiefs were greatly incensed with the Moormen, and
more especially with Ha4jee, who had in no small de-
gree supplanted the dissave in his authority.
It ought to be mentioned, that the Singalese inhabit-
ants of the district of Velassy are less civilized than
most other districts of the Kandyan country, having
IMten but partially under the co~trol even of the native
government. They paid their taxes in kind, ehieffy
in wax and honey. They differed but little from the
Village Vedahs, except that they practised agriculture
to a greater degree, and were somewhat more disposed
to social intercourse. They were, however, seldom seen
out of their buts without being armed, or provided with
bows and arrows, and on the appearance of a stranger
they instaotly concealed themselves in the jungle, so
that in passing tlirough the district, an inhabitant was
seldom seen, except at a distance, or when they were
come upon by surprise. The Moormeo of this district
being traders, were much more civilized than the Sin-
galese inhabitants,
Digitized by Google
182 msTORICAL SKETCH. -
On the 10th October 1817, Mr Wilson, auistant-

resident at Badulla, having received information that
" a st.ranger," with two old and six 1oung priests, had
recentl1 taken up their abode in the jungle in the pro-
vince of Velassy, it was deemed neceaary to despatch a
party to apprehend "the stranger." For this purpose
Hadjee was selected. He took his brother with him,
together with a small party of Velauy Moormen, and
left Badulla to execute his miaaion. On arriving at one
of the passes into Velassy, he was met b1 a part1 of men
who attempted to prevent bis proceeding farther.
Hadjee secured four of the party, and sent them to
Badulla. Proceeding farther on the road, he waa op-
posed by a more considerable party, armed with bows. -
aud arrows, who, after wounding bi.s brother, captured
himself. The rest of the party effected their retreat to
Badulla. The news of Hadjee' capture reached Badulla
on the 12th, and on the 14th Mr Wilson set out for
Velassy with a party of Ma1a1 soldien, under the com-
mand of Lieutenant Newman, and attended by an inter-
preter and some native Laseoreyns. Having halted jlt
Allipoot the fint night, he proceeded early the next
moming towards Velassy. At three P. K. he reached
W ainawelle, and found that all the inhabit.ants had tied,
except two Moormen, who stated that Hadjee had been '
flogged, and sent prisoner to the man who was called
"the stranger," and aometimes "D~o," (a god,) an~
appellation which is occasionally given to the relations
of a king. At Bootle, Mr Wilson and bi.s part1 halted
the second night. Next da1, the 16th, he made several
attempts to confer with some of the insurgents, but
without success. Seeing that nothing effectual coald
be done to nppreu the resistance. of the inhabitants
to legal authority, Mr Wilson determiMd to return to.
Badulla with the party, and he considered it expedient
to proceed by another route than the one by which he
had left that post. During his progreM, small parties
1
of the natives oocal!ionally appeared on the adjoining

hills, using highly insulting language to the agent, and
.also to the detachment. Mr Wilson halted at the side
of a. spring for the purpose of quenching his thirst, he
being at the time attended by two serT&ntlJ. The de-
tachment moved forwards, and continued to do so until
they had gone a few hundred yards. Mr Wilson. had
not been .many minutes at the spring, when he was
killed by a discharge of arrows from the jungle, and at
the same time one of hi& servants waa wounded. Both
of the servants proceeded to the military party, which
had gone on, &8 has been stated; and when Lieutenant
Newman was informed of what had taken place, he re;-
turned with all possible expedition to the fatal spot
where Mr Wilson. fell ; but by the time he arrived, the
hostile party had dragged the body into the jungle, and
it wa.s not discovered, although the detachment conti-
nued to search for it until near sunset. t The detach-
ment returned to Badulla, having been much harassed,
during great part of the way, by small bodies of the
enemy. Mr Wilson's interpreter, and two or three of
his Laseoreyns, ~arated from the military detachment
and fell into the hands of the insmgents, by whom they
were kept pPisoners for some time. Some of the abo't'e
facts were obtained from the prisoners when they were
liberated. .
The opprobrious and insulting terms used by the Kandyans
to Europeana are eommonly, <hrernoi gou1a,m,tala, Beef-eating
.slaves, begone l
t On a future occaaion, Mr Wilson's head was brought to Mr
Sawers, at Badnlla, by some Kandyans, when it was discovered
that the abll luid been pierced by two arrows.
0tg,1i,ed by Google
When the account of Mr Wilaon's death reached

Kandy, Mr Sawen, the revenuecommissioner, pro-
ceeded forthwith to Badulla. He perceived no indication
of revolt until he entered the province of Uwa, six
miles from Badulla, where the villages were generally
deserted, and the few inhabitants whom he saw declined
having any communication with him. A few miles
from Kandy, he met a party, consisting of a corporal
and two privates, carrying a despatch from Major Mac-
donald, commandant of Badulla, to Kandy. This party
proceeded by the district or province of Walapanne,
where they were put to death by the inhabitants in les~
than an hour after Mr Sawers passed them.
For the purpose of ascertaining the feelings of the
people of the province of Matele in regard to the British
government, Sir John D'Oyley, the resident, authorised
Eheylapola to proceed from hie usual residence in Kandy
to that part of the country. Having large estates in
that province, it wae presumed be was likely to have it
in hie power to acquire correct information in regard to
the diepoeitions of the inhabitants.
On the 20th of October, his Excellency quitted
Trincomalee to return to Kandy, and on the 23d, at
Kandally, about sixteen miles from Trincomalee, he re-
ceived the first intimation of the revolt. The accounts
which reached him on the road became more alarming
aa he approached the hilly country. Eheylapola, who
waa in the province of Matele, with a large body of
followers, fell in with Ratwatte~ the dissave of the pro-
vince, who was proceeding to pay his respects to his
Excellency, and accused the dissave of having failed to
pay him (Eheylapola) the honours he considered due to
him. He forthwith disgraced Ratwatte, deprived him
of the insignia of his _oflice, and, in fact, virtually sua-
EKGLISH PEBIOD1 1817. 185
pended him, Owing to the greatly superior numbers of

Eheylapola's followers, and their hostile appearance; the
di~ve's people fted, and left their helpless chief on the
road, where the governor and his party found him.
Fears, which were apparentlywell-fouoded, were enter-
tained that this offensive measure was preparatory to
Eheylapola's openly heading the insurrection, and cap-
turing the governor and Lady Brownrigg, and all the
party, his Excellency having only a very small escort.
Fortunately, the result tumed out otherwise. At' N al-
lendy, a post about thirty-one miles from Kandy, Ehey-
Iapola, who appeared in great state, with several ele-
phant.a and 2000 or 3000 people, waited upon the gover-
nor, and apologised for his unwarrantable conduct to-
wards the Matele dissave.
Eheylapola's insult to the British government is pre-
a
sumed to have been the result ' of blind ebullition of
rage, directed against the first adikar, Molligodda-the
dissave whom he had so grossly abused being the adikar's
uncle. For political reasons, perhaps, Eheylapola es-
caped the sharp rebuke he deserved, having been allowed
to retum to Kandy without any publicly expressed
opinion of his Excellency's disapproval of his conduct.
The gov4Vnor arrived in Kandy on the 26th October.
.Millawa, the dissave of Velassy, being, from age and
infirmity, unable to execute the active duties of his ap-
pointment, it was resolved by government to attach the
dissavony uuder his charge to that of Uwa, of which
province Monarawilla, commonly called Kappitapola,
was dissave. This chief, with the sanction and approval
of Mr .S'awers and of Major Macdonald, the command-
ant of Badulla, proceeded to Velassy for the alleged
purpose of tranquillizing the province, and bringing the
people back to their allegiance to the British government:

No military force accompanied him ; but twelve of .his
own followers were each furnished with a musket and a
few ronnds of ammunition from the government maga-
zine. Immediately upon Kappitapola's reaching the
prorince in question, it is alleged he was made a pri-
llOD.8r by the V elassy insurgents-a circumstance, the
tint information of which was received by the return of
bis twelve followers, with the muskets and ammunition
they had received from the government stores.
From about the middle to the end of October, the
weather was extremely unfavourable for the march of
troops, in consequence of heavy rains in the Kandyan
provinces. Between Hangwelle and Colombo, the
country was extensively inundated, by which, and the
swollen mountain-torrents, the ,progress of the detach-
ment.a was greatly retarded. The tappals or mails were
intercepted by the enemy in that part of the country
which they occupied, and hence it, became extremely
difficult t.o eff'ect a prompt and certain co-operation of
the troops.
Early in the month of November, a detachment of
the 19th Regiment reached the district of V elassy from
Batticallo. On the appearence of the troops, a large
portion of the inhabitants absconded into the jungle,
carrying with them their cattle and whatever grain
they possessed.
N mnerous military posts were established in this dis-
trict, for the purpose of keeping up a line of communi-
' cation from the district of Batticallo to Badulla and
U wa, &c., the principal post being e1tablished at Kat-
tabowe, the chief Moor village in the district. The
Moorman haring been promised protection from the
insmgents by the English ofllcen, returned to their.
homes. and seemed glad of the countenance thereb;
afforded them ; but no sooner bad they taken this step,
than they forthwith seized the cattle belongi~g to the
Kandyans ,rho had fled into the jungle, and sold them
to the British commissariat for the use of the troops.
For some time, many of the Moormen played a double
part, apparently det.ennined, in the end, to join the
party ,rbieb held out longest. It is alleged, also, that
not a few of the Moorman who bad been successful in
obtaining possession of the cattle of the K.andyaos, fear-
iog that they would be obliged to restore the property
they bad pillaged, were the Kandyansto return to their
homes, and submit to British rule, circulated reports
much to our prejudice, for the porpoae of inducing them
to bold out against our govemment.
Major Macdonald having proceeded with a detachment
of troops to V elassy, it ,ras found expedient to remove
Colonel Kelly, the commandant of the troops in the in-
t.erior, from Kandy to Badulla, to which place he pro-
ceeded with an escort ou the 30th October.
SeTeral other small bodies of troops moved towards
Velassy, both from Batticallo, on the east side of the
island, and from the garrison of Kandy. In these
marches they bad to pass through narrow pathways,
close jungles, and over steep hills, exposed to the mis-
siles of the enemy, which were chiefly arrows, although
some of them were furnished with musket& The de-
tachments having formed a junction about the heart of
the disdected country, it was deemed advisable by
Major Macdonald to inflict a severe punishment on
the inhabitants, probably for the purpose of thereby
checking the insurrection. With this vie,v, the work
of devastation commenced ; the ho1l888 of the inhabit-
aota were forthwith set on fire and burnt to the ground,

and all the cattle, grain, &e., belonging to the people,
were either carried off' by the troops or destroyed.
The inhabitants appeared to be horror-struck at the
devastation thus produced : they ceased to shout at the
troops, orto fire upon them; while they were seen on
the neighbouring heights, and close to the skirt.a of the
plain, gazing in silence upon the flames which consumed
their habitations, and the driving away of their cattle,
they having had no time to remove any part of their
property. Next day, some of the head men and their
f~llowers made their submission to Major Macdonald,
and solicited forgiveness. In consequence of these
favourable appearances, sanguine hopes were entertained,
during the month of November, that the flame of insur~
rection was nearly extinguished.t These hopes were,
however,- not realized. The outbreak of revolt in
Velauy acted like a match thrown into a barrel of
gunpowder, upon the dissatisfied and disaffected popula-
tion of the whole country ; the insurrection continued to
extend, and, on the 21st day of February 181'8, the
whole of the Kandyan provinces were placed under
martial law.
.Aaiatic Journal, voL v. p. 615.

t Major Forbes, when ha published his interesting work on
Ceylon, does not seem to have been aware of the active measures
which were adopted to suppress the insurrection. He says, " I
cannot help thinking that hundreds of British, and thousands of
native lives, might have been saved, it; at the commencement of
the rebellion, a stem and severe example had been made of the
persons and property of those who first committed acts of treason
and murder, and had taken the field in arms against the Biitiah
govemmem." Many very severe examples were made, from the
commencement of the revolt to its termination, not only of the
persons and property of those who " had taken the field in anus."
but al,o of others who had not doQe so.
The late Dr Arnold strongly deprecated the notion,
that the population of a cou ntry" should rise in iri:egular
warfare, each man or each villago for itself, and 8888il
the invaders as their personal enemies, killing them
whenever and wherever they could find them." The
Doctor's remarks probably refer to countries where
standiug armies, or regular armies at least, are con-
sidered to be the only belligerents, and not to a state of
society like that of the Kandyan kingdom, whose armed
force 'IV&S chiefly extemporaneous assemblages of the
people. He admits, however, that if an invading army
sets the example of irregular ,varfare, if they proceed,
says he, " after the manner of the ancients, to lay waste
thQ country in mere wantonness, to bum houses, and to
be guilty of personal outrages on the inhabitants,-then
they themselves invite'retaliation, and a guerilla warf~
against such an invader becomes justifiable." The
Kandyans were never practically acquainted with the
laws of civilized warfare; and, although they bad often
been attacked with an overwhel!lling force of disciplined
armies, they preserved the independence of their coun-
try for a period of 300 years, chieffy by an uprising of
the people, for the purpose of repulsing and expelling
invaders. We are unwilling to consider the people who,
either in modem or in ancient times, have risen in
masses against the invaders of their country, as robbers
and murderers. During the insurrection in Calabria,
some of the insurgents evinced a high spirit, and bravely
resented the imputation of being brigands. One of them
said to the French military tribunal at Monteleon,
" The robbers are yourselves! What business have you
ln&rodaciory Lecturet on Modem History, by Dr Arnold.

Lecwre i~. p. 163.
190 HISTORICAL SUTCH.
here, and with ua Y" Similar questioua might, with

great propriety, be made in regard to the inT&ders of
other countriee, both in Europe and Aeia.
In some respect.a, the resistance of the Calabrians to
the French in 1806-7, resembled that of the Kandyane
to the English. The means adopted to subdue them
were precisely similar. The terms peasant and brigand
were, in Calabria, nearly synonymous, and the same
may be said of the terms Kandyan and rebel in Ceylon.
We are informed, for eumple, that the officer who com-
manded at Alipoot detached two parties, who surprised
a body of inhabitants, of whom 21 were killed and 15
wounded. These persons being denominated rebels,
were indiscriminately put to the bayonet, ( Anatic
Joumal, vol. vi. page 544 ;) under such circumstances,
no attention was paid to guilt or in'nooence, or t.o degrees
of guilt, or degrees of misfortune. In many plaoes,
much care was taken to sweep the country bare of every
thing, for the purpose of depriving the inhabitants of
the means of subsistence.
N otlVitbstanding the most energetic measures on the
part of the British government, the insurrection, or war
of independence, extended rapidly, so much so, that by
the months of February or March 1818, all the country
was against us, except the lower part of Saffragam, the
Three and Four Corles, Udunuwera, and Yattinuwera;
and, with the excllption of the first adikar, every chief
of coDl8quence bad either joined the rebel standard, or
was confined by us for favouring, or being suspected of
favouring, the insurrection,
On the 2d March, Eheylapola was arrested and con-
fined a prisoner at Colombo, upon a suspicion of bis
being disaffected towards the English, In the minute
of his Excellency the governor, dated March 7th, it is
1
stated, that ~e case of Eheylapola Maha Nileme stands
thus: " He is removed for a time, because govemment
considers his presence here as detrimental to the public
good, but it is n~t at all meant to charge him as a
traitor." Although no charge was ever made against
this chief, he was never restored to liberty, having died
in exile, an untried state prisoner.
For a con~iderable period, during the months of May,
.June, and July, the issue of the contest seemed to be
very doubtfuL Indeed, it is alleged that arrangements
were in progress to withdraw the British force from
the interior. Lady Brownrigg left Kandy under the
charge of a large escort, comprehending the major por-
tion of the garrison of Kandy, under the command of
Captain, now Lieutenant-Colonel, Frazer, and proceeded
to Colombo, Fears ~ere entertained that the inhabit-
ants of the Three and Four Corles might join the
insurgents, when the communication with Colombo
w.ould be cut qft'. Had this taken place, which was at
one time probable, the troops, including the sick,
would have been obliged to fight their way out of the
country, with all the unfortunate results of former re-
treats from Kandy in prospect. A large portion of
the sick in hospital at Kandy, amounting sometimes to
from 300 to 500 men, were regularly supplied with arms
and ammunition at sunset, with the view of enabling
"Luckily," says ~or Forbes, "the private animosity aubsist-

ing betweenEheylapola and the first adika.r, Molligodda, induced tbe
latter to exert bis influence in support of the British supremacy,
which he had good reaeon to identify with his own safety. By
his influence in the district of the Four Corlee, the people there
were generally restrained from insurrection, a service of great im
portance at this period to the British interest, as through that
province lay the principal defiles and mountain passes of the road
which led from Colombo to the Kandyan capital."
Digitized by Google
them to defend themaelTea should the hospital be at-

tacked.
Early in the month of ~pril, a reinforcement of 2000
men was received from Madras, and other large rein-
forcements followed, both from Madras and Bengal,
including about 5000 coolies.
It may be said of the Kandyan insurrection, what an
eminent historian has stated in regard to the contests
in which William the Conqueror was engaged. " The
resistance of the Saxons," says Sir James Mackintosh,
"was not a 6ame casually lighted up by the oppression
of rulers-it was the defensive warfare of a nation,
who took up arms to preserve, aot to recover, their
independence.,,
Early during the insurrection, if not at its com-
mencement, a reputed relation to the deposed king was
erought forward by the insurgents of Velassy, as a can-
didate for the crown. The name adopted by this
alleged "stranger" and pretender to the throne was
Dura Samy ; and it was asserted by the insurgents, that
the hestile measures directed against the English were
by his authority. Kappitapola remained with the in-
surgents, and accepted the office of first adikar to the
pretender. Assuming that Kappitapola was made a
prisoner by the Velassy insurgents, it is difficult to
account for his joining them, and becoming ostensibly
their principal leader. He may, perhaps, have found
the insurrection so general, and the people so resolved
to resist the English, that he concluded the popular
cause would in the end be victorious. Having great
love of approbation, he may have been prevailed upon to
become the leader of the revolt, although he might have
had .no intention to join the insurgents when .be left
Badulla. By returning the &relocks, he evinced a re-
markable instance of good faith to Mr Sawers and
Major Macdonald. Had the insurrection been suc-
cessful, Kappitapola would have been honoured and
characterized as a patriot, instead of being stigmatised
as a rebel, and pu~ished as a traitor.
The person put forward to enact the part of king, wa11
an alleged illegitimate member of the royal family/ a
priest, by name Wilbawa, who does not appear to have
been recogni~d as a fitting and proper candidate for the
crown by almost any of the chiefs. Although all ranks
and classes of the Kandyans regarded us with the great-
est aversion, and wished us to leave the country, there
seemed to be no confidential bond of union, no plot or
conspiracy established among the cltiefs for the purpose
of expelling us,
On the 28th February, the Kandyan forces, under the
command ofKappitapola, accompanied bythe pretender,
attacked Major Macdonald at Para.nagamme. The
Major had not more than 80 rank. and file to repulse the
enemy, whose force, it is conjectured, amounted to not
less than 6000 or 7000 men. 1 The attack was renewed
at intervals until the 7th March, when the contest was
relinquished, and the insurgents separated for the time.
On our side not one man was hurt.
On the 6th and 7th of March, Lieutenant-Colonel
Hook was attacked at Panella by numerous parties of
insurgents. Other posts were at~ked about the same
time; but the assailants were invariably repulsed, with
very little loss on our part.
Although the insurgents were not successful in attack-
ing posts, they were with much difficulty repulsed by
troops proceeding from one post to another. On the
2d March, Major Delatre marched from Trincomalee
for Kandy, with a detachment of 100 rank and file.
Digilized by Goog Ie
HISTORICAL SKETCH .
Soon after his departure from that garrison he expe~

rienced the difficulties usually attendant on a march,
in low swampy ground, during wet 'Weather. Rain
commenced to fall on bis arrival at Kandally, the 3d
March, and continued until the 14th, when he reached
N alende, which is about 96 miles from Trincomalee.
The passage of the river Gonava was disputed by the
insurgents, and they continued to harass and assail his
flanks in large bodies, during four days, Qr until be was
within a few miles of N alende. Major Delatre had bis
right arm fractured, a. ball having passed through it,
near the shoulder-joint. Two of his men were killed,
and four severely wounded.
The exhausted condition of the detachment rendered
it necessary to remain at N alende for a period of ten
days. Major Delatre having ascertained that the insur-
gents were in great strength on the road to Kandy, de-
termined to proceed to Komegalle, carrying with him
the garrison of Nalende. Accordingly, having dis-
mantled this post, he marched on the 24th, and arrived
on the 27th March at Komegalle. On this march he
met with considerable opposition, and had four rank and
file WOiill ded.
No foformation having been received at head-quarters
(Kandy) of Major Delatre's proceedings, and . much
apprehensionbeitl'g entertained for the state of things in
Matele, it wu :determined to open a. communication
with Nalen~e'; and, accordingly, a detachment of 100
rank and file, under Captain Raper, 19th Regiment,
marched from Aitgalle; seven miles from Kandy, at mid-
night, on .the 27th March, the same day Major Delatre
reached Komegalle ; but, so great were the obstructions
given by the insurgents, that Captain Raper did not
reach the bottom of the Aitgalle p~s until daylight on
E..~GLIBB PERIOD, 1818. 195
the following morning. The distance from the pass to
N alende is 20 miles ; and, along the whole road, he was
attacked by the enemy, who killed two men, and wounded
six rank and file and two coolies.
On reaching Nalende, which he did at seven o'clock
the same evening, and finding the post evacuated,
Captain Raper made the men cook and rest until mid-
night, when he commenced his march back to Kandy,
bringing his wounded along with him. At seven o'clock
the following evening, he reached the Aitgalle pass ;
but, being unable to proceed farther, he remained there
all night, and, next morning, forced his way through
numerous bodies of assailants, who were posted' on the
commanding precipices for the purpose of obstructing
his progress. He reached the small post of Aitgalle
about eight o'clock on the succeeding morning, after an
absence of fifty-six hours. Before one week had elapsed,
every individual of Captain Raper's detachment was
admitted into hospital.
About the beginning of April, a. reward of 1000
pagodas was offered by government for the apprehension
of Kappitapola, and an equal sum for each of two other
principal chiefs. Smaller sums were offered.at the same
time for the apprehension of other insurgent chiefa.
During the months of July, August, September, and
October, the troops were chiefly employed in pursuing
fugitive chiefs, together with their followers, and in
capturiag or destroying property belonging to the in-
habitants.
Towards the end of August, the pretender and Kap-
pitapola were joined by Madugalla, a Doombera chief,
who had displayed a remarkable degree of energy and
enterprise in his own district. The pretender intended
to leaTe Velasay for the purpose of joining one of the
196 HISTORIOAL SKETCH.
chiefs in Wallepony, but he was persuaded by Madu

galla to cross the Maha Villa Ganga, and proceed to
a station in Doombera, where a palace had been con
structed for him. Here the pretender was treated by the
chiefs and people with royal honours, and the usual re
spect shown to the king. On the 3d September, the
office of second adikar, and the appointment of d"issave of
Matele, were conferred on the Doombera chief. About
this time, Madugalla discovered that the pretender, or
person who had been elected or appointed king by the
Velassy chiefs and Kappitapola, was not, as alleged, a
relation of the deposed king, but a man who had
until lately been a priest. Greatly offended at the
deception which had been practised upon him and the
whole Kandyan people, he proceeded to the residence of
Kappitapola, and, having made him prisoner, sent him
to Pitawala, and directed that his feet should be put
into the stocks. Madugalla next made the pretender
prisoner, confining him in the palace prepared for him at
Mihavala, his feet being, at the same time, secured in
the stocks. How long they were confined, or by "!hat
means they were liberated, is not known ; but, accord-
ing to report, as soon as Wilbawa, the pretender, ob-
tained his liberty, he practically renounced his kingly
dignity, and sought refuge among the Vedahs of
Bintenna ; and, although a large reward was offered for
his capture, he was not apprehended until 1829, having
succeeded in concealing himself for a period of twelve
years. He was finally captured, in consequence of in
formation received from a Boodhist priest who knew
him. He was tried and convicted in Ceylon, and par
doned by orders from Britain. Wilbawa had been a
very handsome man ; but fatigue and anxiety had ma
teria.lly changed his appearance by the time he was
apprehended, and given him a melancholy cast of

countenance,
The hostility of the people, in most of the disaffected
provinces, abated considerably during the months of
September and October ; a predatory warfare had been
in existence for nearly a year, during which period the
principal part, indeed almost the whole, of the popu-
lation, men, women, and children, had lived in the
woods and on the tops of mountains. Their grounds
had been uncultivated for two sea.sons; many of their
cattle were killed ; their small stores of grain were
expended, having been in many places destroyed 01
plundered by the British troops. The monsoon-rains
were approaching, so that they had no other prospect
before them, by holding out against the English, but
accumulated hardship and famine.
During the months of July and August, some of tlie
native chiefs who had joined the insurgents were cap-
tured, several of whom were tried by courts-martial.
Among others, a distinguished chief, Ellepola Maha
Nileme, was brought before a court-martial on the 17th
October, by which he was found guilty of levying war
against our lord the king, and sentenced to suffer death
by hanging,-a punishment which was commuted to de-
capitation. On the 27th October he was executed, on
which occasion he conducted himself with the greatest
fi,mness. His body was interred by the orders of go-
vernment. He had himself expressed a wish that it
should be left a prey to dogs and jackals, probably from
an opinion entertained by Boodhists, that indignities
shown to the body after death conferred a degree of
merit upon the soul or spirit.
Towards the end of the revolt, one subordinate chief,
ani one only, joined a plundering expedition against
0tg,1i,ed by Google
the disaft'eeted, namely, Ecknelligodda, dissan of Saft'-

ragam. He accompanied a body of troops, who were
employed against the insurgents in U wa, with a number
of people from his diBBavony.
On the 30th October, Kappitapola and another chief,
Pilimi Talawa, son of the notorious Pilimi Talawa who
was beheaded in 1812, were surprised and taken by a
detachment of troops, under the command of Colonel
Fraser, in the neighbourhood of Anarajahpoora. Ma-
dugalla, who, according to report, had become reconciled
The following song of triumph, composed in the Pali lan-

guage, was translated by the late Mr Armour while he was inter-
preter to the Judicial Commissioner in Kandy : -
1. Having divested himself of fear for personal safety, and of

anxiety for his wealth, through loyalty to the European potentate,
Ec'/cmlligodda dissave, with undaunted courage and resolution,
Prosperity perched on his shoulders, and followed by armed bands,
went forth against the rebel multitude, and, like the bird Ga-
rooda, destroyed the insurgent serpents.
'
II. Possessed of courage and gifted with victory, as were the
mighty heroes, Ilamali Ar,quna, Vasou Deva. and Beema Lena, and
bounteous as the Kalpa Wurksha, did not he, the great Ecknelli-
godda, rnsh forward and extinguish rebellion throughout Uwa,
ill. He havmg received the sanction of the Great Brownrigg,

the English commander, accompanied the troops with a powerful
host of Saft'ragam people, pursued and hanged the rebels on trees,
thereby stunning them with terror and dismay.
IV. The archers in their ambuscades laid their hand on the

bow-string, but before they could discharge their arrows they
were stultified with fear, and underwent severe chastisement.
Why have ye forgotten all which Ecknelligodda accomplished?
Protected by the troops, Ecknelligodda and his host did cer-

tainly excite terror and dismay among the inhabitants of Uwa, by
plundering and destroying whatever came in their way. What
the troops spared they captured: nothing wa.s too insignificant for
their rapacity.
.EXGLISll PERIOD, 1818. 199
to Kappitapola, and was acting in concert with him, was
taken on the 1st of November ; and with his capture
the insurrection terminated.
Kappitapola and Madugalla were tried by a court.
martial. and sentenced to suft'er death, and both were
beheaded on the 25th November. ( Vide Appendix,
No. X.) Several other chiefs were executed, Pilimi
Talawa was tried and condemned to death ; but his sen-
tence was commuted to banishment to Mauritius. It is
remarkable that this chief bad been twice similarly con-
demned, once by the deposed king, and again by a court.
martial, and had his life spared.
Eheylapola, the chief who had so materially contri-
buted to the conquest of Kandy,-the alleged friend of
the British government,-wa.s kept a prisoner at Co-
lombo until 1825, when he was banished to Mauritius,
apparently in consequence of beiug suspected of having
favoured the insurrection. The rivalry and animosity
which had long existed between the two great chiefs,
Eheylapola and Molligodda, is presumed to have had
much influence in binding the latter to the interests of
the British government. He was the only chief of con,
sequence who was not presumed to be implicated in the
revolt. Eheylapola had much reason to hate, and to
wish to subvert Molligodda, whom he had known, under
a former regime, as a cruel enemy, seconding the wishes,
and enforcing the orders of the deposed king, and whom
he now saw in possession of the highest dignity under
the British government. Had the insurrection suc-
ceeded, and Eheylapola attained power, Molligodda
would, no doubt, have felt the influence of his vengeance,
and, foreseeing this result, the safety and welfare of the
adikar became intimately connected with our success.
To the enmity which existed between these chiefs may,
in a great measure, be attributed our being able to pre-

sene a footing in the country.
Molligodda died in 1823. Eheylapola died in Mau-
ritius in April 1829, being about fifty-six years of age.
A considerable number of petty chiefs were banished,
either as a commutation of punishment, or from being
suspected of having countenanced the revolt.
Lieutenant-Colonel Colbrooke, in his Report upon
the Administration of the Island of Ceylon, (24th De-
cember 1831,) recommended that the governor should
not, in future, be allowed to exercise this power, except
in cases of great emergency ; the power of banishing in-
dividuals, without trial, being incompatible with the
interests of the country.
On the death of the deposed king, (1832,) the exiles
were permitted to return to Ceylon, provided they en-
gaged to reside in the maritime provinces, and not to
revisit the Kandyan country.
"It wonld be difficult," says Dr Davy, "to give the
English reader an accurate idea of the manner in which,
during the rebellion, hostilities were carried on on either
l!ide. When a district rose in rebellion, one or more
military posts were established in it ; martial law was
proclaimed ; the dwellings of the resisting inhabitants
were burnt ; their fruit-tree, were often cut down ; and
the country was scoured in every direction by small de-
tachments, who were authorized to put to death all who
made opposition, or were found with arms in their hands."
But, in a warfare of the kind .in question, where every
inhabitant is a foe, persons who are not with us are com-
D\Only presumed to be against us, and treated as enemies.
Hence the war carried on against the insurgents became
characterized by devastation and extermination. Are
~ere no means by which civilized nations can carry on
7

war with barbarians, but by retrograding into barbarity
themselves? The dwellings of the inhabitants were, as
has been already stated, burned, and their fruit-trees cut
down, without any reference to whom they belonged.
The measure of destroying grain and fruit-trees, in
the neighbourhood of Badulla, was a harsh proceeding,
being a country which, in the best of times1 does not
produce sufficient food for its own inhabitants. Owing
t-0 the labour required to fell trees, much fewer of them
Deuteronomy xx. 19.-In the East, a much more considerable

part of man's subsistence being derived from fruit-bearing trees
than in our climate, the wanton destrnctiou of such trees is there
considered little less than an act of impiety. "Some of the se-
verest injuries done to the Kandyans dnring the insurrection," says
Colonel Campbell, "were the destruction of coco-nut trees, and
laying waste the rice-grounds, by breaking down the immense
mounds or embankments, constructed to retain the water, so es-
sential in the cultivation of the grain, and which it musi take
years to repair or replace."-(Excursions aRd Adventures, tc.,
vol. ii. 124.) ThiB barbarous devastation resembles that which
William the Conqueror inflicted upon the inhabitants of Yorkshire
and Northumberland, who resisted his authority. William effec-
tually subdued the insurgents; but he left; that part of his king-
dom literally a wilderness, having, for the purpose of preventing
a new insurrection, depopulated the country by fire and ~word,
and reduced a large tract of it to the solitude and silence of death.
It is affirmed, that about 1001000 men, women, and children,
were destroyed in this terrible operation, and that, for nine years
thereafter, not a patch of tillage was to be seen between York and
Durham. "There are none against whom the flame of human
passion bums more fiercely and enduringly than those who, for-
getting the humanity of the man and the heroism of the soldier,
have marked their progress throngh a hostile territory by smoking
hamlets, devastated fields, and homeless orphans."-(Bentham.)
In warfare, similar circumstances apparently lead to the com-
mission of similar atrocities. " In a recent account of an expedi-
tion of the French into a fertile province in Algiers, the French
officer in command relates, that be gave orders to his soldier& to.
cut down the olive-trees and the fig-trees of the district, the onl7
wealth of the native popnlation ; but still, so barbarous are die
natives of those regions, that nothing but measures of extermina-
1 2
were destroyed than would otherwise have been the

case. In the neighbourhood of the military stations, the
central bud or cabbage of coco-nut trees was sometimes
abstraetecl, by which means the tree was effectually
killed. The cabbage was used as food by the soldiers.
The whole country was traversed in every direction
by predatory military parties, who applied the torch to
the cottages and whatever other property fire would
consume, and which they could not carry away. Women
and children were, as appears by general orders, some-
times captured and retained as prisoners of war.
"Driven from their villages," says Major Forbes,
" their coco-nut trees cut down, their property and crops
destroyed, and unable to till their land, the natives
suffered severely from sickness and famine, besides
those who fell by the fire of the British troops."
The following extract from a general order issued by
the governor, Sir Robert Brownrigg, bearing date
Kandy, 6tbJanuary 1818, will convey a clearer descrip-
tion of the manner in which hostilities were conducted,
than can be done by a general account :-
" Captain C,, in pursuance of Lieutenant.Colonel
H. 's orders, marched from Madoola on the morning of
the 29th ultimo, with Lieutenant L., 73d regiment, and
a party of 50 rank and file, to chastise the rebels of a
neighbouring village, when he fell on several of them
concealed in lemon grass, killed four or Jive, and took
one prisoner, and burned the houses of a Mohottal, and
the houses of other head men who bad been concerned
in the murder of the late Mr Kennedy. The prisoner
tion can extort from them a reluctant submission to the authority
of France." "No prisoners are made, except by rare exception,
and no hostages on either side. No quarter is asked or given."-
(Timu, June 9th, 18!5.)
ENGLISH PER{OD, 1818. 203
gave information of the hiding-place of a horde of insur-

gents near to Madoola., when it was determined by Lieu-.
tenant-Colonel H. to surprise aad seize them the same
night, which was
completely effected by Captain C. and
his party in the most gallant manner. The rebels, as
The Mr Kennedy, whose name is mentioned in the general
order, was assistant-surgeon to the 1st Ceylon regiment. He left
Kandy on the 9th December 1817, with an escort of one Malay
corporal, two Malay privates, and eight Caffries, together with a
party of coolies, loaded with rice, for the purpose of proceeding
to a station in the province of Uwa. Having passed the military
station of Panella, about twenty-four miles from Kandy, the party
was attacked by a large body of Kandyans, who killed Mr Kennedy,
the eleven soldiers forming the escort, and thirteen coolies. One,
if not more, of the coolies having concealed himself in the jungle,
escaped death. It appears, from the best information which could
be obtained regarding the slaughter of this detachment, that the
Kandyans kept at a considerable distance from the party, until they
had completely expended their ammunition, when, having become
comparatively defenceless, they were surrounded and felled to the
earth with long poles. One sentiment seemed to animate the mass
of the population-a detestation of foreigners who meant to
humble their national pride, together with a desire to avenge, by
every possible expedient, the injuries they considered their country
had sustained.
Similar horrible 11eenes occurred in many of the retrograde
movements of the French army in Portugal and Spain. On the
retreat of Marshal Soult from Oporto in 1809, the British army
found the road strewed with dead horses and mules, and with the
bodies of French soldiers who were put to death by the peaaantry.
When we find capitulations disregarded, and such scenes of cruelty
take place in a civilized and Christianized country, need we wonder
that similar cruelties, and similar breaches of good faith, should occur
under similar circumstances of foreign invasion, among a. Kandyan
population ? The war of a people struggling for their indepen-
dcnce, their institutions and usages, may be expected to be differ-
ent from an army of mercenaries,-the excesses of an invaded
people being generally of a. barbarous character. A writer in a
periodical asserts, that he knew a village in India where a body of
cavalry that engaged itself in the streets was beaten out with long
poles. He concludes by observing as follows :-" Of all bitter, -
painful, and abominable situatiollll, God preserve an honest man
from being set in opposition to an armed people.''

204 Bl8TORICAL SKE'lCH.
is supposed, to the number of fifty men, were in a cave

situated near the summit of a mountain, which being
silently approached by our detachment, email divisions,
under Lieutenant L. and Serjeant Murray, of the 73d
regiment, were posted in the pathways at each end of
the mouth of the cave, while Captain C. proceeded, with
the remainder of hie brave soldiers, to the front. The
alarm being given within, the inhabitants set up a
hideous yell, and rushed from the cavern. Twenty of
them were killed by our troops, and the remainder pre-
cipitated themselves down the steep declivity of the
mountain, by which they must have severely suffered.
In the darkness that prevailed, one woman and child
were unfortunately killed ; but the instant it was under-
stood that women and children were in the cave, that
generosity which is inherent in the breast of every
soldier se"ing in the British ranks, was manifested
towards them, and they were protected. Most, indeed, of
the rebels who effected their escape, owed their safety to
the great anxiety of the detachment to avoid doing any
further injury to the helpless females and their children.
<me gu.n, several spears, bows and arrows, and a small
quantity of paddy, were found in the cave.
The commander of the forces has plea-
sure in signifying, in public orders, his best thanks to
Captain C., Lieutenant L., the nati're officers, non-com-
miBBioned officers, and soldiers under their command.
and is well persuaded that their gallantry will be duly
appreciated by the troops, and that all will strive to
emulate it.
(Signed) "lhnY BATES,
" Dep. Asst. Adj . Gen."
These details show that neither of the belligerents
seemed muoh disposed to take prisoners, and that the

atrocities of a force trained to the usages of civilized
warfare, were not less flagrant than those of an uncivilized
population. White and black races, the invaded and
the invaders, Christian and Pagan, vied with each other
in promoting the horrors and barbarities of mutual de-
struction. Probably this was considered the only eff'eo-
tual m~de of carrying on the war, and that the end
justified the means. Did not the meane condemn the
end ? Mr Knighton seems to think so ; for, after quot-
ing Dr Davy's account of the manner in which hostili-
ties were carried on by the Kandyans, who were fighting
in defence of their ancient institutions and usages, and
the English who were contending for conquest, he con-
cludes with the following observations :-" No conduct,
on the part of the Ceylonese, could justify the cruelty
of the English." "Such proceedings as
those may have been politic and successful, but they
are not those on which a humane mind can dwell with
pleasure, and we may reasonably question whether it
would not have been more just and wise altogether to
evacuate the interior, than to allow such a state of
things to continue so long as they did."-(KnigAton',
Hutory of Ceylon, page 330.)
The comparative superiority of civilized nations over
uncultivated communities may be often delusive. '' The
manners, the crimes, of illiterate savage tribes are apt
enough to appear to us in their full dimension and de-
formity, but the violations of natural law among civil"
ized nations have a solemn varnish of policy which dis-
guises the enormity of guilt."-( E11ays on tAe Hiltory of
Mankind, by Profe11or Dunbar, page 27 4.)
The means used to ''chastise" insurgents in Kandy,
appear to have been an exact iiJnscript of the plan
D1g1tized by Google
206 lll.STORICAL SKETCH,
which was adopted by the Duke of Cumberland to p11ni11h

malcontents m Scotland. " During and after the
Rebellion in Scotland in 17 45," says my authority, "in
many places the dispened clans were hunted down like
wild beasts, tracked to their dens and holes in the hill-
sides,. and either burnt or smothered by combustible
materials lighted at the mouths of these crannies, or
compelled to come out to fall upon the bayonets and
swords of their pursuers. Every man who wore the
tartan was a rebel and traitor, whose body, and soul, and
goods were forfeited ; and so the soldiers slashed and
plundered wherever they came, without any attention to
guilt or degrees of misfortune."
Human character is greatly formed from human em-
ployment. The result of example and practice, in
training the human mind to regard with indifference,
and even to sanction, acts of great inhumanity, is almost
incredible, (2 Kings viii. 12, 13.) " When I am dis-
charged," said a private of the 19th Regiment in the
hearing of an officer, " I intend to become a highway-
man ; for one thing," said he, "after what I haTe aeen
in Kandy, taking the life of a man will give me no con-
cern."
"There's nought so monstrous bnt the mind of man
In some conditions may be brought to approve."
Whoever bas the power of declaring war, shoultl

exercise that prerogative with infinite caution ; for,
whether a war be denominated aggressive or defensive,
it is a fallacy to suppose that hostilities can be carried
on without most revolting barbarities.
Cruelty excites cruelty, and excess begets excess.
The blessed fountains of mercy were dried up in both
the in\laded and the invaders. We being the aggressorE,
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1818. ~07
the Kandyans, who were struggling to expel us from the

country to preserve their independence, could not be
expected to allow us much claim to either good faith or
humane treatment.
During the insurrection, the troops were frequently
exposed to great danger, and always liable to much
fatigue. The natives wisely avoided meeting them
openly in the field, being sensible that their strength
lay in stratagem and bush-fighting; in fighting accord-
ing to their own fashion, and carefully eschewing our
combined modes of aggression,
During the American war of independence, General
Howe was always anxious to bring Washington to a
battle on what he called fair and equal terms, which
the latter always declined by retiring to strong defensive
positions. Both of the generals'were of opinion that in-
experienced,troops were unable to withstand the British
army in the field. Extemporaneous levies are unable
to resist veteran troops, except in woody, mountainous,
and difficult countries, containing manj strong natural
positions. Each of the generals knew his comparative
strength and comparative weakness, and acted accord-
ingly. The inexperienced levies had, however, the best
of it in the end.
On account of the woody character, and almost impe-
netrable nature of the country, the military parties
were greatly exposed to the missile weapons of the
enemy. Detachments were frequently dodged by three
or four K!l,ndyans, who, in consequence of .their know-
ledge of the by-paths, could fire upon the party occa-
sionally, and keep up with it on a march. When a man
was killed, the detachment was halted ; wood was col-
lected, and the body burnt,-a measure which caused
delay. The burning of t~e body was adopted to prevent
Digitized by G~og Ie
208 IIISTORICAL SKETCH,
mutilation, as the enemy was in the habit of imitating

our old method of executing traitors, by impaling the
heads of the killed close to a British post. When a
man was wounded, so as to render him unable to march,
he required to be carried; and this operation was com-
monly eff'ected by putting him in a cumley, or country-
blanket, suspended under a bamboo. In this manner,
two coolies were able to carry one man. These circum-
stances obviously retarded the march of troops, and ex-
.Posed them long to the fire of the enemy. It was even-
tually deemed advisable to suspend the ordinary plan of
marching troops, conveying stores, and transporting
sick by day through the disaff'ected parts of the country,
and to endeavour to perform these duties under the ob-
scurity of night. By nocturnal marching, fewer casual-
ties occurred from the fire of the enemy ; but the labour
and long-protracted fatigue of the troops were greatly
increased. This result may be easily conceived, when
we take into account the ruggedness of the country and
the impracticable nature of the pathways. In addition
to the natural impediments which occurred, such as
deep rivers, mountain-torrents, rugged precipitous roads,
morasses, &c., the Kandyans constructed many artificial
modes of obstruction, In the pathway along which it
was necessary to march, they frequently dug pits, in the
bottom of which pointed stakes were placed. Numerous
other modes of hinderance were adopted, many of them
evincing considerable ingenuity. The progress of troops
was consequently extremely slow during night,-often
not so much as a mile in an hour. Frequently it was
impossible for the escorts of provisions and stores to
cross the mountain-torrents in the dark; consequently,
the men were obliged to bait, and to lie down for a time
upon the damp grass, exposed to inclement weather.
---

The chilly dews of night, as well as frequent exposure to
tropical rains, and remaining long in wet clothes, were
fertile sources of disease.
The mode of warfare adopted by the Kandyans in
1817 and 1818 is graphically described by Robert
Knox, who published hia account of Ceylon in 1681.
"In their war," says he, " there is but little valour
used,-although they do accomplish many notable ex-
ploits,-for all they do is by crafty stratagem. They
will never ~eet their enemies in the field, to give them
a repulse by battle and force of arms ; their usual prac-
tice is, to waylay their enemy, and stop up the ways
before him. Here they lie lurking, and plant their
guns between the rooks and trees, with which they do
great damage to their enemies before they are aware.
Nor can they suddenly rush in upon them, being so
well guarded with bushes and rooks before them, through
which, before their enemies can get, they flee, carrying
their great guns (ginjals) upon their shoulders, and are
gone into the woods, where it is impossible to find them,
until they come themselves to meet them after the former
manner."
" A nation determined, by external situation, to em-
bark in schemes of dominion, possesses immense advan-
tages in war over any other nation who arms merely for
defence. The principles of interest, of ambition, of
glory, embolden the designs of the former, and give to
their efforts irresistible impetuosity. The efforts of the
latter are more constrained and reluctant ; and the most
prosperous success, ultimately terminating in a tempo-
rary security rather than in positive acquisitions, pro-
duces not the martial ardour and enthusiasm which ac-
tuate heroic minds."-( E11ay, on the Hiltory of Mankind,
by Profemr Dunhar, p. 143.)
-.
210 HISTORIC.AL SKETCH,
Scarcity of food was severely felt in a number of the

stations. At Panella, where Colonel Hook commanded,
the daily ration was sometimes not more than a quarter
of a pound of salt meat, and half a. saer of uncleaned
rice-a seer being equal to about one pound and three
quaners, English weight. Around many of the posts
not an article of sustenance could be procured, either
by purchase or by plunder. The means of transporting
commissariat stores being inadequate, the ordinary
ration was generally much reduced. Paddy, the unhusked
grain from which rice is obtained, was frequently issued
in place of rice, without any other article of sustenance.
Much sickness was the result of these exhausting labours
., and privations in an insalubrious climate. Indeed, it
was not to be expected that men could endure, without
great loss, in any climate, the accumulated hardships
and privations to which they were exposed.
The amount of mortality which took place in the
army employed in this service, including the native
corps, the Madras and Bengal troops, together with the
pioneers or coolies, during the insurrection, it is impos-
sible to estimate ; and no detailed account of the loss
sustained has been P.ublished. The following statement
in regard to the mortality which occurred among the
European force in the island, and in the 73d Regiment,
will satisfactorily show that it must have been very great.
The mean strength of the European troops in the
island, during the year 1818, was 2863, and the morta-
lity 678, being in the proportion of 236 per thousand,
or nearly one-fourth. The ordinary annual mortality of
troops in the United Kingdom is 15 per thousand..
The 73d Regiment, which was chiefly employed in
the Kandyan country, lost by death 356 men, or 412
per thousand.
--
E.'fGLISH PERIOD, 1818. 211
The country round the small garrison of Kattabowe,

in Velassy, and its depending posts, was, perhaps, more
inealubrious than any other part of the island where we
had troops stationed, The number of European soldiers
exposed to the climate of Velassy, from the 12th July,
when the prevalence of sickness commenced, to the 20th
of October, when the endemic was presumed to have, in
a great measure, terminated, was 254, Only two of this
number, the commanding officer, (Captain Ritchie,)
and the medical officer, (Mr Hoatson,) escaped fever;
79 men died in Velassy, and 173 were transferred, sick,
to Batticallo, 114 of whom, it is supposed, died at that
station.
Although hostilities terminated before the end of 1818,
the fatigue, hardships, privations, and previous disease to
which the men had been exposed, rendered them, for a
long time after, liable to various diseases of a fatal char-
acter. The mean strength of the 73d Regiment, in 1819,
was 566, and the mortality 160, or 282 per thousand; and
105 were invalided; consequently, the regiment may be
said to have lost 621 men in two years. Only 12 of the
men of the light company of 1817, consisting of about
110 individuals, sunived to go home with the r~giment
in 1821. This company was very actively employed in
the Kandyan country during -the whole period of the
insurrection.
The following abstract of the monthly returns of this
regiment, for three years, will show_ the rapid increase
of the proportion of mortality which took place during
the revolt, together with the high ratio which continued
among the men for a period of ten or twelve months after
hostilities had ceased :-
Digitized by Google
-
..
212 IlISTORICAL SKETCH.
1818. 18lt. 1820.

StNqtb. Died. StNqtb. Died. 8&rqtb. Died.
January, 996 3 609 7 614 3
February, 989 9 577 10 548 4
l'tlarch, 984 4 570 6 544 3
April, 973 II 542 27 519 4
May, 947 34 !H8 19 536 3
June, 916 31 f96 23 517 2
July, 899 17 490 19 516 l
August, 860 35 474 14 511 !>
September, 776 86 606 5 508 3
October, 706 68 634 10 500
November, 683 21 630 7 536 6
December, 6'7 3f 617 13 532 4
353 160 38
Average strength, 864 564 533
The proportion of mortality being, in 1818, 412 per 1000.

in 1819, 283 do.
in 1820, 71 do.
No very accurate estimate can be made to what ex-
tent the native inhabitants suffered by death. Dr Davy,
who had the best opportunities of acquiring information
on this subject, thinlts that, including those killed in the
field, together with those who were executed, or died of
disease and famine, the mortality may have amounted,
perhaps, to 10,000. Having sntfered so severely in lives
and property by resisting our aggression, it may be ex-
pected that a large portion of the Kandyan population
will long " rue the day when we crossed their mountains,
and deplore .the ti~e when their old system of govern-
ment was overturned."-(Dr Daey.) How many of the
chiefs and people were banished to Mauritius I am
The elementary materials from which this return is constructed,

were obtained from Captain Hay, when Adjutant to the 73d Regi-
ment.
Digitized by Goog Ie.

unable to atate. Kandy, as a kingdom, may be consi-

dered in some respects singular, having so long, with
apparently inadequate means, successfully resisted the
arms and the policy of powerful, ambitious, and hostile
neighbours. But, to attain this object, how many lives
have been lost, both by the invaded and the invaders!
" The warlike enterprises of our time have been al-
most exclusively directed against the independent po-
pulations of barbarous countries ; and, under pretence
of extending the institutions of civilized nations, or of
providing for the security of their own frontiers, the
most powerful states of Europe have been, or are still,
engaged in these contests. Yet, in spite of all that may
be said of the rude and savage habits of these barbarians,
and notwithstanding the advantages promised to them
whenever the fruits of knowledge, industry, and order
shall ripen amongst a people to whom the elements of
Christian government are unknown, it is certain that
our sympathies are at variance with our actions, and we
instinctively rejoice in the hardy valour with which these
children of nature encounter and repel the civilized in-
vaders of their land. They have in their favour the
rights of freemen, and the virtues which belong to a
patriarchal form of society, and an independent life.
They are opposed by the formidable power of disciplined
armies, and by the persevering policy of governments,
prepared to sacrifice their wealth and their troops for
the attainment of what is often a chimerical or a worth-
less object. They are fighting for all that is dearest to
man, and their defeat must be followed by.the loss of
their liberty, perhaps by the gradual extirpation of their
race ; whilst their civilized assailants can boast of no
such exalted or heart-stirring motives, and the courage
displayed on their side is no more than the result of that
discipline which makes them instruments of the ea.prices

of ambition or the obstinacy of princes.''-( Timu NetD1-
paper, 27th September 1845.)
On the continent of India, when conquest was not
aimed at by open hostilities, onr first object has been,
under the pretence of friendship, to establish a subsidiary
force in the dominions of thoso with whom we were con-
nected, in return for a stipulated tribute. The King of
Kandy was, however, very cautious in committing him-
self with us, apparently placing little faith in our pro-
fessions of amity : he uniformly declined our interfer-
ence with his government, perhaps from observing, that
the object of our friendship and our enmity had been
the ~ame in India ; whether flattery or force were the
means, extension of territory was always the end.
"All wars of interference," says the Re-r. Mr Colton,
" arising from an officious intrusion into the concerns
of oth~r States,-all wars of ambition, carried on for
the purpose of aggrandizement,-are criminal in their
outset, and have hypocrily for their common base. First,
there is the hypocrisy of encumbering our neighbour with
an officious help, that pretends his good, but mea.ns our
own ; then there is the hypocrisy of ambition, where
some restless grasping potentate, knowing that he is
about to injure and insult, puts forth a jesuitical pre-
amble, purporting that he himself has been first insulted
and injured ; lastly, comes a minor and anbordina.te
hypocrisy, common to the three kinds stated above; I
mean that of those who pretend most deeply to deplore
the miseries of war, and who even weep over them with
the tears of the crocodile, but who will not put a stop
to war, although they have the means, because they find
their own private account in continuing it."-(Lacon,
vol. ii. p. 180.)
r.

The Rev. Mr Allen, in bis Diary of a March through
Sinde, &c. &c., after giving a brief outline of " Ot.r
schemes of unjust aggression" in Western India,
fervently prays for '' the dift'usion in India of that
blessed gospel, which is not only the brightest mani-
festation of the glory of God, but the harbinger of peace
and good-will towards man." Unjust aggression, by
nominal Christians, ill exemplifies these benign princi
ples of Christianity, and must contribute rather to deter
than to allnre comparatively barbarous nations and
peoples from adopting the " more excellent way."
Hitherto, it is much to be regretted, Christianity seems
to have bad but very limited influence in either pro-
moting peace and good-will among men and nations, or
in meliorating the horrors and barbarities of political
strife. We find no time and no place since the creation
of the world, in which religion, common-sense, justice,
or humanity, could prevent the eft'nsion of hu~an blood.
Civilization may have softened our manners, but it bas
added to our power, and perhaps, I may almost say, it
has promoted the disposition to mutual dest.ruction.
Will the time ever arrive when Christians will be no
longer the destroyers of Christians, the slayers of their
fellow-men? Unfortunately for the peace of the world,
the efforts of the ambitious have been sanctioned by
popular approbation, and many worthy persons, humai;ie
and benevolent in the private relations of life, have
been deceived into the opinion, that a warlike under-
taking, which is succeS&ful, is not only just but
glorious.
General Brownrigg left Kandy, and returned to the
sea coast, on the 26th November; and, on the same day,
Kappitapola and Madugalla were executed by decapita-
tion. 1.'he entry of his Excellency into Colombo is
described as being quite trinmphal, " under beautiful

archways through the streets or the Pettah, ( or suburbs
of Colombo,) lined with troops, and crowded with the
inhabitants in their holiday dresses,-the cannon of the
ramparts firing, and the bands of two or three regiments
playing."
Before leaving Kandy, his Excellency issued a pro-
clamation, or new constitution for the Kandyan country.
The principal changes which this proclamation promul-
gated were, l,t, Relating to the revenue : compulsory
labour was to be abolished, except for making and repair-
ing roads and bridges ; and, in lieu of personal se"ices,
a tax of one-tenth of the annual produce of cultivat.,d
lands was to be levied, being about double the former
assessment. Personal services constituted a chief part
of the revenue of the deposed king ; but they were
found to be of little or no value to the British govern-
ment, and, l>E>ing unproductive, they were abandoned,
and another tax substituted. 2d, Relating to the ad-
ministration of justice, which was to be conducted by
officers appointed by government. With the exception
of the temples, the administration of the public affairs
of the Kandyan provinces was to be solely executed by
English functionaries.
Compulsory labour of various kinds continued to be
enforced in Ceylon, until it was recommended to be
abolished by LieutenantColonel Colbrooke, in his Report
on the Administration of . the Government of Ceylon,
(December 1831.) It was alleged that this oppressive
tax had, in the Kandyan country, been sometimes more
rigorously enforced \>y the local government than ever
under the native government, and that this was too often
done without regard to the ancient customs of the
country, or consideration of the claims and condition of
E!l'GLISll PERIOD, 1818. 217
indi'Viduals. The system of forced labour made it
necessary that a power of punishing those who refused
to work should reside somewhere. In practice, the
power of investigating the facts which authorised
punishment, and the authority to inflict the penalty,
were ex~rcised by the same functionary. "The system
of forced labour," says Colonel Colbrooke, " has been
so irregularly maintained, and been productive of so
much injustice, that I cannot but recc,mmend its entire
abolition by an order of bis Majesty in Council."
" Under the superintendence of Sir Edward Barnes,"
says Major Forbes, "the country derived all the. benefit
that could be produced by unrecompensed compulsory
labour, which was exacted according to the customs of
that despotism, to the powers of which the British
govemment had succeeded ; " indeed, it was " enabled
to exact much more, both of labour and revenue, than
any nati11e dupot tDOUl<l ia1'6 11entured to demand,"-
( Ek1'en Y6m"I in Ceylon, by Major Forbe,, voL i. page
66.)
Those few chiefs who were not greatly suspected of
favouring the insurrection, bad their titles conftrmed,
and received a fixed pay from government. Formerly,
they had been remunerated by a contribution from the
people, or an ~sessment on them.
The proclamation in question entered fully into ap-
parently very small matters. It was therein directed,
" That on entering the ball of audience, every person
shall make obeisance to the portrait of bis majesty there
suspended." Europeans were to show respect to the first
and second adikar, "by touching their caps, or taking oft"
their hats," when they passed, " The chiefs holding the
high offices of firat and second adibr will be received by
all sentries whom they may pass in the day with carriecl
][
Digitized by Google
2.18 HISTORICAL SKETCH.
arms." " Dissaves, or chiefs holding the governor's

commission, may punish off.'ences by corporal punish-
ment, not exceeding twenty-five strokes with the open
/&and, and by imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven
days.'
Since the year 1818, when the insurrection ceased,
no active opposition or resistance has been made by the
Kandyans to the British government ; although indica-
tions of dissatisfaction have occasionally occurred, so as
to excite a feeling of insecurity on the part of the Eng-
lish colonists.
Early in the month of January 1820, a pretender to
the throne of Kandy raised his standard in Bintenna.
Having collected a few Vedahs, he seized a Vidahn of
the province of Velaasy, and commanded him to excite
the people to rise in his favour. He asserted that he
w~ a scion of a Kandyan royal family, and that he had
been appointed king. On the 12th January he was cap-
tured, and sent to Badulla. Martial law having been
proclaimed in the province of Velassy, upon heanng of
his pretensions, he was forthwith tried by a court-mar-
tial for levying war against our sovereign lord the king,
with the intent to subvert his government in the Kan-
dyan provinces, and found guilty of the crime laid to
his charge, being, as alleged, an infracti?n of a specified
article of war, and sentenced to suffer death. When
the proceedings of the court-martial were examined at
Colombo, it was found that the conviction of the pre
tender was invalid, inasmuch as the article of war,
which it was alleged he had violated, did not infer
capital punishment; by which means Wimala Darma
Narendra.sinha Maha Rajah, the pretender in question,
escaped decapitation ; but without any further trial he
was banished to Mauritius.
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1884. 21'9
A disturbance of a different kind took place in 1834.

During the month of March, the governor, Sir Robert
Wilmot Horton, received information from Mahawel
letenne Dissave, that .treasonable intentions existed
among some of the chiefs, priests, and other persons in
the Kandyan provinces. This intimation led, as may
be supposed, to a due degree of inquiry, and at last it
was determined to seize certain persons who were sus-
pected of being ringleaders of a revolt,-a measure which
was effected on the 19th July, by surrounding the
houses of the implicated persons, before daylight, with
troops, and then seizing them at daybreak. Twenty-
three persons were taken into custody, amongst whom
were Molligodda, fil'llt adikar, only brother to the first
adikar Molligodda, who died in 1823, Dunawille Dis-
save, commonly known by the name of , Loco Banda,
Raddegodde Lekam, two priests, together with a native
officer of the Ceylon Regiment. On the 12th January
1835, the above six persons being considered the chief
conspirators, were put on their trial before the Supreme
Court, .Colombo, for high treason: the other persons
supposed to be coneerned were either discharged or
admitted as evidence. The indictment contained three
counts, and eleven overt acts were charged in it, com-
prehending a conspiracy to levy_insurrection, rebellion,
and war against the king, to set up some pretended
prince or relative of the late deposed King of Kandy to
be king or'the Kandyan provinces, to endeavour to pro-
cure assistance from Siam and from the French nation,
to seduce some of the soldiers in the Ceylon Rifles from
their allegiance, and to kill the soldiers and subjects of
the king, &c., &c. Following the common views of
government in Oriental countries, the conspirators wished
to have a king to rule over them for the purpose of pro-
220 :HISTORICAL SKETCH,
rooting their power and influence, and preeerving their

ancient institutions and usages, without contemplating
any limitation or restriction to his despotic authority.
The examination of the witnesses lasted from the 12th
till the 20th, being a period of nine days. On the 21st,
the presiding judge summed up the evidence, and the
jury, after deliberating for upwards of an hour, retumed
a verdict of "Not Guilty." The deputy king's-advo-
cate stated, that the verdict could only be attributed to
a belief on the part of the jury that the witnesses for the
crown were perjured, and the chief.justice observed, that
be " was surprised by the verdict.":
The jury was composed of six Europeans, and seven
natives of high rank, inhabitants of .the maritime pro-
vinces. The prisoners objected to being tried by Kan-
dyans. It is understood that the six Europeans were
unanimous for conviction, but that the seven natives
were of a contrary opinion, and, being the majority, the
verdict was an acquittal.
Notwithstanding the acquittal of the accused by thcr,
jury, the governor dismissed the first adikar from office,
and all the others who were in the pay of government ;
namely, Dunawille Dissave,* Raddegodde Lekam, and
* In 1839, his Excellency the Governor of Ceylon, the Hon.

Mr Stewart Mackenzie, accompanied by his son, paid a 'tisit to
the residence of Molligodda, where he dined and slept. This
chief was distinguished for hospitality to Europeans, particularly
to military ofticen. In 1843 he w1111 reappointed to an official
situation under government in the Four Corlee.
Dunawille Dissave, alim Loco Banda, or Bandas, was a son of
u wife of:Milawa, dissave ofVelassy, who died a state-prisoner in
Colombo in 1822. Loco Banda., then a mere youth, accom-
panied his father to Colombo when he was arrested and made
prisoner. Here he was sent to an, English schoo~ where he made
tolerable progress in acquiring a knowledge of the Englitoh Jan.
guage. He was also much taken notice of by the officers of the
two priests of the Malwatte establishment. The native
officer of the Ma.lay regiment was dismissed from the
service.
The disaffected persons . appear to have at one time
intended to adopt a legal mode of seeking redress of any
grievances under which theJ might consider themselves
to labour, by forwarding a memorial to England, to be
presented to the king. by delegates, who could give
information in full detail upon any parts of it that re~
quired explanation. A copy of the proposed memo~
rial to his majesty was transmitted to the governor at
his request by Dunawille Dissave, (Loco Banda.) The
following brief notice of some passages of this document
will show the grounds of th,e dissatisfaction of the chiefs,
garrison, by which means he learned to speak the language rather

fluently. Shortly after, Milawa died ; his reputed son returned
to his paternal residence, Dunawille, about eight miles from
Kandy, where he resided with his mother. He married in 1824.
His time was chiefly employed, or rather spent, in attending the
court of the judicial commissioner in Kandy, and in lounging
about the residence of the civil servants of government. Occa-
sionally he was employed in court as an interpreter ; and after
some time had elapsed he was appointed to a situation under
government. Mrs Heber describes Loco Banda as being, in 182 5,
quite an Eastern dandy : he "rode well," she informs us, " and
was evidently proud . of his horsemanship ; but his flowing gar-
ments were ill adapted for riding." He was very anxious to in-
troduce his wives and daughters to Mn Heber, and she was
equally anxious to see them ; but being constantly occupied, she
was obliged to leave Kandy without visiting them. It is pre-
sumed Mn Heber was mistaken in regard to Loco Banda's
domestic population, the Kandyans very rarely entertaining a plu,
rality of wives; and as he was married only in I 824, his daughters
could not be numerous in 1825. Loco Banda seems to have
generally accompanied the bishop's party on their evening rides,
Dunawille was certainly~the most active, if not the most talented,
of all the persons .engaged in the conspiracy, He is now, 1845,
an IIISiatant-superiutendent of the Rural Police in Kandy, with a .
salary of L.100 a year.
D1g1tized by Google
The memorialists state, that having submitted to the

English government, they formally transferred their
allegiance to his Britannic Majesty, at a convention
held at the Palace of Kandy, on the 2d of March 1815,
when it was, amongst other things, "agreed and
established, that to the adikars, dissaves, and all other
chiefs and subordinate head men, should be saved the
rights, privileges, and powers of their respective offices,
and to all classes of the people safety of their civil
rights and immunities, according to the laws, institu-
tions, and customs established and in fc,ree among them."
In accordance with the convention, the chiefs and head
men enjoyed their rights and privileges, but latterly
some " appointments of rank and consequence" have
been abolished, and other " rights and emoluments"
diminished. The memorialists farther state, that " The
apprehension of the probable abolition of the ancient
and honourable offices of first and second adikar,
caused in the minds of all classes of Kandyans the
deepest sorrow and regret ; they had no reason what-
ever, at the period of the convention, to expect so great
a calamity as the abolition of the offices of adikar and
dissave, which are coeval with the oldest institution of
this country, and on the attainment of which dignified
offices always depended the perpetuation of this honour
and consideration of the noblest families of this country.
Nor can the Kandyau chiefs, and the nation in general,
now conceive bow they have dese"ed so great a mis-
fortune." They conclude with the prayer, that as they
voluntarily ceded their country, and transferred their
allegiance to his Britannic Majesty, their loyalty and
se"ices since " may all meet with generous consider-
ation ; and that such consideration may operate so far tl
in favour of the Kandyans as to save their country from
dismemberment, and from being incorporated with the
maritime districts, so that it may continue to subsist in
its ancient integrity as the kingdom of Kandy, and
retain its celebrated name of Singhala." They also
" deprecate with earnestness, but with the profoundest
submission, the abolition of the offices of adikar, dissave,
and others, which were instituted in times of high anti-
quity, and have always been regarded with veneration
as accessories of the constitution of their country.
Should, however, their native offices be -deemed no
longer neeesaary, and abolished, the petitioners crave
the enactment of an ordinance, to the eff'ect, that such
of their countrymen as haTe held, or were eligible to
hold, the aforesaid native offices, should be also eligible
at present to serve the office of assistant government
agent, inasmuch as they are already conversant with the
main duties of such offices, such as the collection of
grain, revenue, &e. ; and that in process of time, such
of them as obtain a competent knowledge of the English
language, and of business, should be eligible also to
some of the higher civil appointments ; and that, until
such new appointments be made, the present holder of
the offices of adikar, and other superior native appoint,
ments, should be continued therein, with their respective
salaries, emoluments, and honours undiminished."
It would be difficult to give a satisfactory reply to this
well-written memorial. By assuming the unlimited .rule
of the King of Kandy, and promising "to the chiefs a
continuance of their respective ranks and dignities,"
thereby virtually engaging to protect them in their
despotic usages, we indirectly approved of the policy and
rule of the deposed sovereign, and gave the chiefs every
reason to expect that their institntions and cnstoms
would not be altered, or their power abated. The
!24 BISTOUO.& SUTCH.
emancipation of the mass of the people hm the thraJ,.

dom of r a ~ (king's work,) compulsory Jabour,
and compulsory attendance at the festivals of Boodhism~
a measure which greatly reduced the power, inffuenoe.
and consequence of the privileged classes and priests, is
presumed to have been the principal cause of the disaf.
fection that became e'rident among some ef the chiefs
and priests at this time. It is worthy of observation,
that the deposition of the king is supposed, upon good
authority, to have been, in a great measure, caused by
his endeavours to reduce the power of the chiefs, and to
meliorate the harshness of their despotic sway over the
people, while the disatfeetion of the chiefs to the British
government, at this time, arose from a similar cause,
an emancipation of the lower orders of the popnlatioo.
from the bondage of compulsory labour.
The apprehension of the memorialists, in regard to the
dismemberment of the Kandyan country, and the aboli-
tion of the honourable offices of the first and second
adikar, was well founded. The ancient kingdom of
Kandy is now incorporated with the maritime pro'rinces,
the whole island being divided into five pro'rinces,
namely, l,t, Westem Province; 2d, Southern Province;
3d,. N orthem Province ; 4th, Eastem Provinoe ; 5tl&,
Central Province; the revenue and judicial departments
being administered chiefly by Europeans. The offices
of first and second adikar have been abolished. A few
Kandyans continue to be employed in subordinate situa-
tions where they have little influence. Distinction, high
place, and power, the objects of laudable ambition, are,
by our assumption of the govemment of the country,
placed beyond the attainments of its indigenous popnla-
tion of every class and grade. Hitherto, it seems to
have been an ine'ritable consequence of our position, as
ENGLISH PERIOD, 1884. 22~
foreign conquerors, in India, to supersede and suppress
the native dignitaries. It is confessedly difficult to
avoid intrusting all real authority to Europeans, and
thereby conferring upon them a monopoly of power and
influence ; but it is quite obvious that the exclusion of
the natives of a country from having any share in its
government cannot fail to excite discontent.
"There is no doubt," says Lieutenant De Butts,
" that many of the adikars, dissaves, and other chiefs,
who, although subject to the fiat of royalty, formerly
ruled as lords paramount in their respective provinces,
regard our levelling sway with no other feelings but those
of hatred and undying enmity."-(Ramblea in Ceylon,
by .Luutenant De Butta, p. 157.)
We are told that civilization marches in the rear of
conquest, and that barbarous nations have received this
boon from the refined and polished blades of their vic-
tors. True civilization implies a gradual advancement
of a people in wealth and prosperity, and the moral and
intellectual improvement of the population. It would
be highly interesting to know what means have been
taken by the British government to develop the moral
and intellectual faculties of the people, and to promote
the industrious arts, and what has been the general
result of British rule in ameliorating the condition of
the different classes of the population of the Kandyan
country, and in promoting an amalgamation of feelings
and opinions between the conquered and the conquerors.
Both the privileges and the thraldom of castes or
classes of the population have been abolished, and civil
liberty among all ranks established. The poorer classes
have, by this means, acquired valuable rights, while the
importance and dignity of the wealthy have been dimi-
x2
f
226 .BfSTOBICAL SKETCH.
nished. The native landed proprietors have been.de-

nuded of political power, and deprived of the hope of
obtaining personal consideration, except by superior
knowledge, or the acquisition of riches, modes of attain-
ing distinction to which they have not been trained, and
to which they are little disposed. Dissatisfaction must
therefore be for a long time expected, as no effectoal
attempt has been made, or is making, to equalize the
privileges and immunities of the white aud black races,
and the distinction between the Europeans and indige-
nous inhabitants is as wide as ever. The poorer classes
of the Kandyans have not been much accustomed to
continuous exertion, and rarely , hire themsolves as
labourers, so that they reap comparatively little benefit
from the capital which is invested in the cultivation of
sugar and coffee by European planters,
As foreigners, differing in the great elements of.. na-
tionality, namely, race, language, institutions, and reli-
gion, we are so much opposed to the natives of India,
( and the same obse"ations will apply to the natives of
Ceylon,) that it is not to be expected we can, within a
brief period, if ever, establish a cordial or social union
with them. Being generally excluded from any parti-
cipation in the government of their own country, what
can be expected of the wealthy classes, but that they
should sink into a state of abject submission, with few
objects of life beyond indolence and sensual indulgence ?
Men of the higher ranks, who, under the native govern-
ment, might have filled the first dignities of the state,
have, in consequence of our acquisition of the country,
lost all political importance. Degradation excites dis-
satisfaction, since under no circumstances can th#ly hope
to be placed, as to social station, on an equality with na-
tives of the United Kingdom. We protect their lives
-- ~ ~---------
and their property, but it has not, as yet, been our po~
licy to rouse their ambition, or to excite them to culti
vate the manly and patriotic virtues. We have not
. attempted to instruct and improve the people, so as that
when they could eft'ect our expulsion, they would be able
to administer the government of the country themselves.
Exclusion from honourable employment must mortify
individuals .ef talent, bumble family pride, and degrade
all but 1lie poorer classes of the population, the weak,
and the worthless. Even in the maritime provinces,
we are informed by Casie Chitty, all the "magistracies
are filled by burghers, no native having, as yet, been
allowed to participate in the benefit they confer, the
rank of Maha-modliar being the highest a native can
attain." " Many natives," he adds, " may be found
who are as competent to discharge the duties, and as
capable of filling these places of trust as the burghers."
Under such circumstances, a very long period must
elapse before the English dominion is interwoven with
the social state of the Kandyan population, so as to have
a real hold on the minds of the people. Mrs Heber con.
eludes her Journal of a Tour in Ceylon, commencing
.25th August 1825, with the following obse"ation:
" Glorious as Ceylon is by nature, it has, as yet, bad
very few of the advantages of civilization."
Hitherto, the population of Ceylon has existed in dis-
tinct classes, with but little, if any, assimilation, namely,
white and black races, Christian and Heathen, the pri-
vileged and the non-privileged ; each class speaking a
diff'erent language ; and the equal admissibility of all
to public employment, if such a principle exists, is
merely nominal. We profess to have an interest in the
happiness of the indigenous races, and we intend to
make them happy, not in their way, however, but in
228 msTOIUCAL SKETCH,
oun. We do not recognise t~eir fitness to rule them-

selves. A better day for the population of our foreign
po88888iona will, however, soon dawn,-it having been
declared by high authority, that .the colonies must be
henceforth dealt with as .integral parts of the empire.
A measure of this kind will, I hope, greatly promote
intellectual and moral improvement, intellectual and
political freedom. Christianity is the only efficient
means of advancing civilization, of repressing selfishness,
and promoting benevolence. It was Christianity which
first promulgated the fundamental doctrine of human
melioration, that all men are equal. and that we should
respect and love one another. "If we wish," says Dr
Thirlwall, " to pr~mote civilization among the indi-
~ inhabitants of the British colonies, let us convey
to them something that deserves to be transported so
far ; not ouly a little measure of our intelligence, of our
industry, and our knowledge, and our arts, but those
higher blessings without which all the others have no
value ; those which make men to be indeed men ; which
are the measure and the test of all the good we enjoy,
ud the so~ of all temporal and eternal happiness."-
(Proceeding, of a Meeting held i,i LOt&don, March 19,
1846.) . .
APPENDIX.
0tg,1i,ed by Google
APPENDIX.
No. I.
ADAll 18 PEAK,
Tut, p. 8.
DURING the year 1819, Mr Sawers, the Commissioner of

Revenue in the Kandyan provinces, and the writer of these
pages, visited Adam's Peak, a mountain which has obtained
a variety of names. The natives call it Samanala, or the
hill of Samen, and also Mallua Bree Pada, or the hill of
the holy foot or footstep ; while the Mahommedans call it
Baba Aadamaki. The Sru Pada, or sacred impression, on
the top of the mountain in question, is held by the Boodhists
as a memorial of Boodhoo ; the Mahommedans claim it for
Adam ; and the Hindoos assert that it was Siva who imprinted
his footst.ep on the mountain. The popular name, among
Europeans, of this venerated mountain, Adam's Peak, is ob-
viously derived from the name by which it is known to the
Mahommedans, Baba Aadamalei.
We left Kandy on the 29th March, and proeeeded by Gam-
pola, Ambegamme, Welle Maloo, Doonateboo Oya, and Gan-
232 APPENDIX I,
galoo Oya, which station may be said to be in the immediate

neighbourhood of the Peak. We found the pathway from
about Welle Maloo so much overgrown with lwmriant vege-
tation, that the guides were often at a loss to recognise a path.
During the native government, it was customary for the chiefs
t.o visit the Peak by this route, and, as they always travelled
with a great retinue, the pathway was annually cleared of the
jungle and young trees. These pilgrimages had, however,
nearly ceased from the time the English occupied the country.
In the month of Febmary 1817, two chiefs, each having about
100 followers, went on a pilgrimage by this route; but from
that period it was supposed that not a human being had passed
in this direction till we did. I have not learned that the Peak
has been visited by this route since 1819.
Owing to the uninhabited state of the country through which
a great part of our road lay, we could not expect to be accom-
modated with a hut to sleep in, and, in anticipation of this
contingency, Mr Sawers.had provided a tent, on which account
the number of his followers was greatly increased. Including
the coolies who carried the tent, chair-bearers, baggage-coolies,
servants, &c.,, the whole party consisted of about eighty or
ninety individuals. We left Kandy in the expectation that
the road would permit of our being carried in a chair, with a
bamboo lashed to each side; but, after reaching Ambegamme,
we found the road too narrow, and much too ragged, to admit
of this mode of conveyance. From this station, therefore,
until we reached Palipattoola, a stage beyond the Peak, we
prosecuted the journey on foot.
From Gangaloo Oya, the Peak rose abmptly, in the shape
~fa large tapering dome, being completely covered with jungle,
except on a few spots near to the top, where the naked grey
rock appeared.
ABCtnt.-We left our ground at Gangaloo Oya on the morn-
ing of the Sd April, at a quarter pasi seven o'clock. For a
short way, our route led up the left bank of the Oya, when it
crossed to Uie rightbank. Upon reaching the Oya, the eer-
i
vanis and ollowers commenced the ceremonies of ablutio
D1g1tized by Google
Al>All'S PEAK. !33
preparatory to a delivery of their po<!ja),, or offering, at the
shrine of Boodhoo. The otl'erings, which were chiefly copper
coins, were carried on the head. The pathway up the moun-
tain lay in a deep, narrow, rngged ravine-a water-course in
wet wwher. When we had accomplished about two-thirds
of ilae ascent, our followers informed us that we had arrived
at the place wheril it was usual to present an oifering of needles
and thread to Boodhoo. The oifering is laid upon a rock
which lies on the right of the p8*hway. Only one needle and
thnlad were found among our party ; but, to remedy this want
of foresight, as soon as one Boodhist deposited the oifering on
the rock, it was seized and deposited by another. Near to the
summit, the pathway leads over a bare, but not very preci-
pitous rock, in which steps are cut to render the ascent easy.
There are also some chains lying over the rock, which are in-
tended to assist pilgrims in their ascent. These chains are
fixed into the rock at the upper, but not at the lower end.
At about a quarter past nine o'clock we reached the summit.
Summit of die PeaA.-This mountain, which is considered
sacred by the professors of several very diiferent forms of reli-
gion, rises 7'20 feet above the level of the sea.. The apex is
surrounded by a wall about five feet in height, in which there
are three openings, two corresponding with the two roads or
tracks by which the Peak may be ascended, and one which
leads to a well or spring situated without the wall, and a few
yards below it. The space enclosed by this wall is about
twenty-three paces in one direction, and twelve or thirteen in
another. A shelving rook, about nine feet high, and which is
the extreme point of the Peak, occupies the centre of this en-
closure. Along the inside of the wall, a level space runs all
the way round, and, from the outside of the wall, the declivity
of the mountain is, in general, very precipitous. The rock,
which occupies the centre of the enclosure, is surmounted by
an open shed, constructed of wooden posts and a roof, which
is attached to the rock by means of iron chains. Under this
roof is the object of worsliip, the alleged impression of the left
foot of Boodhoo, the Sree Pada. The cavity which bean this
D1g1tized by Google
.,.
1
234- APPENDIX I,
ll&llle is but a very rude resemblance of a human foot, and

appears to have been partly hewn out of the solid rock, .and
partly constructed of lime and sand. The outer border, and.
the elevations which mark the spaces between the toes, are
obviously plaster-work. In length, the impression is about
five feet six inches, and in breadth two feet six inches; the
depth being irregular, varying from one and a half to twQ
inches. The cavity, or foot-print, is surrounded by a border
of what appeared to be gilded copper, about three or four
inches wide, ornamented with a few gems of no value.
On one side of the rock there is a small hut, six or seven

feet square, which is the ordinary residence of a priest, when
on duty, but which we occupied while we were on the Peak.
There were also two small huts immediately without the gate
by which we reached the area. Near to the hut within the
enclosure were two bells snspended on frames. The water
of the spring already mentioned is supposed to be endued
with many virtues. Close to the wall there were a number
of tree rhododendrons in full flower, which added greatly to
the beauty of the scene.
--
/
ADAM'S PEAK, 235

Pilgrinu.-Dming the north-east monsoon, when the
weather is commonly dry on ~e weetern .side of tbe island,
(i. e., from January till April, inclusive,) the Peak is visited
by a number of pilgrims, who come by the way of Saft'ragam.
On our anival at the smpmit, there were about forty pilgrims
engaged in their devotions before the B&Cl'ed impression ;
and . during the day a considerable nwnber of parties anived,
consisting of persons of all ages. Some of them were
indeed mere children ; and others, both men and women,
were bent and infirm from old age. They were all obviously
dreBBed in their best clothes. When a party of pilgrims ar-
rived, they generally proceeded to the rock in the centre of the
enclosure, which they ascended on the shelving side. They
stood for a short time looking at the sacred impression, making
occasionally a number of profound ,alaams, putting the palms
of the hands t.ogether, and holding them before their faces,
bending low at the same time, or raising them above the
head. While thus employed, they seemed t.o be muttering
some words of devotion. Each individual presented an offer-
ing, which was placed on the 88Cl'ed impression. The otfer-
ings were various, consisting, however, generally of copper
coin, rice, betel leaves, areka-nut.s, cott.on cloth, onions,
flowers, a lock of the hair of the head, or a portion of a long
beard. The otferings, which are a perqnisite of the Tirinancy,
or chief priest in Kandy, are removed soon after they are depo-
sited on the holy foot.step. The pilgrims then descended the
rock, and formed themselves into a row, with their faces
t.owards the foot-print or Sree Pada. Here one of the party
opened a small prayer-book, construct.ed of talipot leaves,
(banna potta,) and read, or rather chanted, a number of sen-
tences or passages from it. At the end of each passage he
was joined by the whole group, male and female, in a loud
chorus or respo11Se. We did not observe the priests assist the
pilgrims in their devotions, although we were informed that
they sometimes do so ; indeed, when otferings are made at any
of the temples, a priest commonly attends and repeats the
Pan Sile, or five commandments of Boodhoo.
...-,
236 APPENDIX I.
The oetemoniea at the aacred impl'88Sion having been com-

pleted, each of the pilgrims rang one of the bells already men
tioned, b1 palllng a string attached to the clapper. They then
produced some stripe of cloth, which had been previously
dipped in oil ; these having been lig~ted, were by some of the
pilgrlms placed upon a flat iron shelf, erected for the purpose,
and by others upon a fragment of a rock. We learn from
Davis, that in a Boodhist temple in China, there was a very
large bell in one of the con.rt.a, which was struck on the out.side
with a mallet to make it sound ; and the reason the priests
1188lgned for so doing was, to rouse the attention of Boodhoo
to their prayers.
The pilgrims commonly finished their devotions in about
twelve or fifteen minutes, ,after which they proceeded forth-
with to descend the mountain. Most of them, however, first
paid a visit to the well. By far the greater number seemed
never to cast a look beyond the parapet wall, or to contem-
plate the magniftcent natural objects which surrounded them.
Nominal Christians often join in these devotional exercises
with apparently as much zeal as the professed Boodhist.
Priut,.- We found two priest.a on duty at the Sru Pad.a,
one being a man far advanced in life, the other apparently not
much above twenty years of age. Except during the period
of the year when pilgrims resort to the Peak, there &l'l3 no
priests upon it. They superintend the collection of the otfer-
ings, a lay person being appointed to receive them; but a
statement of the amount is kept by the priests. At the end
of the pilgrim season the amount of the receipt.a is transmitted
to the Tirinancy, or chief priest in Kandy. The annual average
of the value of the otferings is about L.250.
Immediately upon our reaching the summit of the Peak, the
senior priest waited upon us, and made many inqniries respect-
ing our health, &c. Having learned that we intended to
remain there all night, he most earnestly recommended and
entreated us to alter our determination in that respect ; . he
said we should certainly be visited with sickness if we re-
ADill'S PEAK. 237
mained on the hill all night. As he found oar resolution to
remain in hill neighbourhood was not to be altered, he diaap
peared, but in a very short time returned, bringing with
him a handful of dried plants, a portion of which he gave to
each of us. He took great pains to impress us with a belief
in the virtues they possessed to prevent disease, when wom
as an amulet. Some of them, he said, would protect us from
bears and elephants, and others from evil spirits, &c. To one
plant he attributed the virtue of preventing misfortune, sick-
ness, and evils of all kinds.
A little before sunset, the senior priest., accompanied by a
boy bearing a small parcel, repaired to the Sre.e Pad& Hav-
ing made a number of profound reverences, he took from the
parcel a small bell, which he rung over the impression, and
then laid it aside, followed by a number of profound ,aJaama
or reverences. From the parcel he next took a fan, which he
waved for a considerable time over the foot, follow~ by a
nu~ber oflow bows. A piece of cotton cloth was then depo-
sited for about a minute upon the impression, and then re-
moved, followed by the usual number of ,aiaam,. The foot
was then strewed over with flowers, which were permitted to
remain. The ceremonies for the day being finished, the priest
returned to his hut., accompanied by the boy and his bag of
sacerdotal implements.
An opinion prevails amongst the natives of Ceylon, that no
one but a priest can reside with impunity even for a night on
the Peak, and the priests seem to be impressed with the same
belief, disease or death being the penalties to which it is said
transgressors are liable. There are several temples in Ceylon,
-Katteragau, for example, which the natives are unwilling to
approach unless for a specific purpose, being filled with a
superstitions dread and awe, arl!ing from their belief in the
influence of malevolent deities or devila. In consequence of
this delusion, it was with much difficulty that Mr Sawers pre-
vailed upon his servants and followers to remain on the Peak
all night. Being unprovided with any accommodation, it
must be admitted that they were expO$Cd to m11d1 1!i~comfort,
238 APPENDIX L
and a degree of cold not known in Ceylon except_ in a similar

eitaation.
.Atnw,pAmc:P~-On oar reaching the summit of the
Peak, the clouds, which were far below where we stood, were
rising in mist, and rapidly disappearing. Here and there large
masses of white vapour or mist lay in the spaces which inter-
vened between high mountains, where the sun's rays had but
partially reached. Portions of theee masses rose at intervals,
and were rapidly dissipated by the incumbent stratum of
warm air. The atmosphere above us was all day free from
clouds, the sky being a deep or rather a dark blue. The
heat of the BUD was not ardent, nor was the light strong.
Although there were no impending clouds, several slight
showers fell daring the day.
It would be in vain for me kl attempt t.o deecribe the beauty
of the magnidcent scene which engaged our attention for a
great part of the time we were on the Peak. On each side of
the mountain we gazed with delight over an irregular-surface
of mountains, hills, and ridges, covered with trees and foliage,
variously coloured with d.Uferent shades of brown, green, and
red. Tropical forests have always an autumnal appearance,
probably from the constant reproduction and decay of the
foliage. Mountains, hills, precipices, rivulets, and even the
trees, were seen at a great distance with unusual distinctness.
Towards sunset, oar attention was much directed t.o the
rapid formation of clouds, and t.o their seemingly fantastical
changes in appearance and rapid motions. In one place we
perhaps saw distinct masses lying quite still on the surface of
the earth, while in their immediate or near neighbourhood
other clouds were in rapid motion, sometimes in a horizontal
and at others in a vertical direction.
A view of another kind presented itself t.owards midnight.
The moon shone bright, while the clouds were at rest, appar-
ently reposing on the surface of the earth, presenting a uniform
stratum of the finest white down or rather snow, diversified
by the dark-coloured peaks and mountains which appeared
above it. If the reader .can imagine a pure white sea, inter-
239
spersed with a number of densely-wooded imd dark-coloured
islands, some idea may be formed of the moonlight view we
enjoyed.
For some time before sumise, the sky towards the East had
a bright flame colour, indicative of the approach of day ; and
as there were no clouds above ll8, the sun burst forth suddenly
in all his glory, the shadow of the mountain extending, at the
same time, apparently for fifty or sixty miles towards the
west. In proportion as the sun rose in the sky, light and
floating vapours began to ascend from the upper surface of the
clouds, and the whole mass below soon seemed to be in a state
of transition and rapid motion. Here, however, our observa-
tions terminated, having at half-past six o'clock left the
summit to commence our descent of the mountain.
TemJ'ffiUW'e.-The temperature of the air in the shade range4
during the day from Mo to 6So.
At 8 p.m. it was r,70,

9 66f".
1 a.m. " r,so.
8 61jP.
6 " 5r,o.
"
The temperature of the spring already mentioned at six o'clock
a.m. was 68.
Ducent.-The declivity from the summit by the Saflragam
road is much more precipitous than the Kandyan side of the
cone. At several places the track leads over a bare, smooth,
precipitous rock, upon which chains, fixed at one end, are ly-
ing for the purpose of assistJng the pilgrims. The cone of
rook near the summ,it seems to overhang the lower part of the
mountain, by which means a view is obtained which is truly
awful ; at one angle the view downwards is frightful, and not
without danger. Pilgrims, at this part of the ascent, have,
by looking down, become giddy, and falling, have lost their
lives. We were oecupied about twenty-five- minutes in de-
!40 APPENDIX II.
~nding the precipitous apex of the Peak. At two o'clock

p. m. we reached Palepaoola, and next day arrived at
Ratnapoora, where we embarked on the Kala Ganga for
Caltara.
No. II.
HOOTOO SAWMY AND TSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Tezt, p. 87.
AancLES OI' CoNVDTION entered into between bis Highness

Prince Mootoo Sawmy on the one part, and bis Excellency
Frederick North, Governor, Captain-General, and Com-
mander-in-Chief in and over the British Settlements on the
Ialand of Ceylon, on the other part, for the attainment of
the jost objects of the present war, the speedy restoration
of peaoe, and the general seourity and happiness of the
inhabitants of this island.
.Article I. The British Govem~nt in Ceylon agree& to de-

liver over to Prince Mootoo Sawmy the town of Kandy, and
all tbe po88e88ions dependant on the crown of Kandy, now
occupied by the British arms, excepting the province of the
Seven Corles, the two bill forts of Giriagamme and Galge-
derah, and a line of land not exceeding in breadth the half of
-a Singalese camondry across the Kandyan territories, for the
purpose of making a direct road from Colombo to 'liincoma-
lee, which road shall not pass through the district known by
the name of the Gravets of the town of Kandy, which aforesaid
province, forts, and line of land, Prince Mootoo Sawmy hereby
solemnly agrees to cede iD full sovereignty to bis Britannic
Majesty for ever.
ARTICLEA OF CONVENTION, 241
Il. Prince Mootoo Sawmy further engages, that he will

consider the enemies of his Britannic Majesty's imperial crown
as bis own enemies ; and that be will not, directly or indirect
ly, enter into any treaty or negotiation with any prince or
state, without the consent of bis said Britannic Majesty, or of
the governor of bis settlements on Ceylon for the time being.
ID. As Prince Mootoo Sawmy is undoubted heir to the
last lawful King of Kandy, the British government will re
cognise him as King of Kandy, as soon as he shall have .taken
upon himself that title with the usnal solemnities, and ratified
the present convention ; and in case the said prince should
require an auxiliary force to maintain his authority, the
British government shall afford him troops ; the expense of
such troops,, during their employment in the service of the said
prince, being to be defrayed by him, at a rate to be agreed
on.
IV. It is mutually agreed, that all duties on the common
frontier shall be abolished, and none established except by
mntnal consent.
V. It is agreed by Prince Mootoo Sawmy, that all Malays
now resident in the Kandyan territories shall be sent with
their families into the British territories, as shall likewise all
Europeans and Portngnese who may not obtain a license from
the governor of the British possessions to reside in the said
Kandyan territories ; and all Europeans and Portuguese, who
may commit crimes within the Kandyan territories, shall be
sent to the British territories for trial.
VI. It is mutually agreed, . that all natives of Ceylon or of
India, except such Portuguese as are mentioned in the last
article, shall be subject to the laws and tribunals of the country
where the offence may have been committed.
vn. Prince Mootoo Sawmy promises and agrees, that he
will protect, to the utmost of his power, the monopoly of cin-
namon enjoyed by the British government ; that he will
allow the cinnamon peelers belonging to the said British
government to gather cinnamon in bis territories to the west
of the Balany Kan4y; and that he will furnish as mnch cin
L
242 A.PPENDIX IL
namon u may be required, at the price of forty-six dollars per

bale of eighty poanda.
VIII. Prince Mootoo Sawmy also engages to permit penona
duly authorised by the Britlah government to eat wood in all
hiil forests.
IX. The aald prince alao engages not to prohibit, either
directly or indirectly, the exportation of paddy grain and areca-
not from his territories withom oonaent of the Britiah govem..
ment.
X. Prince Mootoo Sawmy furthermore engages to give a
safe-conduct to the prinr.e lately on the throne to retire into
the British territories with hia family, and to allow'llim acer-
tain sum for his maintenance, which shall be agreed upon here-
after by the parties to these articles, provided it be not less
than five hundred rix-dollar8 per menaem during the term
of hia natural life.
XI. And for the better re-establishment of public tranqnil-
lity, Prince Mootoo Sawmy engages to allow such penons as
have rendered themselves obnox.iogg to him, by opposing his
just claim!, to retire with their wives and families, money,
jewels, and moveable property, into the British territory on
Ceylon, there to remain unmolested.
XII. It i8 moreover stipulated, that every encouragement
&ball be given by each party to the subject.a of the other, in
prosecuting fair and lawful commerce.
XIII. The subjects of his Britannic Majesty, duly author-
lsod by the British government on Ceylon, shall have liberty
to travel with their merchandise throughout the Kandyan ter-
ritories, to bnild holl888, and purchase and sell their gooda
without let or hinderance.
XIV. The subjects of the crown of Kandy shall, on the
other band, be allowed to settle and carry on trade in the
British settlements on Ceylon, and to purchase and send into
Kandy all merchandises, salt, salt-fish, &c., on the 811,JDe terms
with the native subjects of bis Britannic Majesty.
XV. The Britiah government shall be allowed to examine
the rivers and water-courses in the Kandyan territories, and
ARTICLES OF CONVENTION. 243
aball be usisted by the Kandyan government in rendering

them navigable, for the porposcs of trade, and the mutnal ad
vantaps of both countries.
XVI. For the more perfect maintenance of these articles,
and of good understanding and amity between the contracting
parties, Prince Mootoo Sawmy consent.a and agrees that a
minister, on the part of the British government, shall be per-
mitted, whenever it may be required, to reside at the court of
Kandy, and be received and protecJed with the bonoun due
to bis public rank and character.
XVII. These articles being agreed upon between Prince
Mootoo Sawmy and the govemor of the Britiah settlement.a on
Ceylon, shall be immediately tl'&Mmitted to his .Majesty for
his royal confirmation, and shall, in the meantime, be acted
upon with good faith by both the contracting partiee, according
to their trne intent and meaning.
No. III.
fiff, p. 89,
A Convention having been entered Into between the British

govemment of Ceylon and bis Majesty King Mootoo Sawmy,
the illustrious Lord Pillmi Talswa, first adikar of the court of
Kandy, the second adikar, and the other nobles of the court,
agree to, and become partiee in the aame,-
On condition that his Majesty King Mootoo Sawmy deliver
over the administration of the provinces belonging to the crown
of Kandy to the aforesaid' Pillmi Talawa, with the title of
Ootoon Komarayen, ( or Grand Prince,) during the term of bis
natural life, and continue to reside and hold his court at Jaff-
napatam, or ID euch other part of the British territories on
244 APPENDIX Ill.
Ceylon u may be agreed on between his said majesty and the

British government.
And for the proper maintenance of his royal dignity, the
aforesaid Pilimi Talawa engages to pay annually to his &&id
majesty the sum of 30,000 rix-dollars, in British currency, and
to fulfil all the engagements entered into by his majesty with
the British government.
And for the bettersecurity of the payment of the snms sti-
polated to be paid to King Mootoo Sawmy, 88 well as to the
king lately on the throne of Kandy, the said Pilimi Talawa
agrees t.o deliver to the British government at Colombo, in the
course of every year, the amount of 20,0GO ammonams of good
areca-nut, each ammonam containing M,000 nuts, at the rate
of six rix-dollars, British currency, per ammonam, to be paid
by the agents of the said Pilimi Talawa to the said British go-
vernment, in coined copper to that amount, or in such other
articles as may be agreed on between the parties ; and the
.British government will, in that case, charge itself with the
payment of the allowance stipulated for both those princes.
And the adikar Pilimi Talawa agrees to cede, in perpetuity,
to the British government the village and district of Goniavile,
( or Elevele,) now called Fort Macdowal, in exchange for the
bill-fort of Giriagamme, which the British government cedes
again to Pilimi Talawa.
And it is still further agreed upon, that all the princes and
princesses of the royal family, now in confinement, shall be
immediately set a~ liberty, and allowed to settle, with their
personal property, wherever they choose; and that a general
amnesty and pardon shall be observed on both sides, 88 well
towards those who have opposed, as towards those who have
supported, the claims of King Mootoo Sawmy in the late or
any former contest.
And it is hereby agreed by his Majesty King Mootoo Sawmy,
@n his part, by his Excellency Frederick North, governor of
the British possessions on Ceylon, on the part of his govern-
ment, and by the illustrious Lord Pilimi Talawa, first adikar,
on his part, and on that of the second adikar and principal,
BARNSLETS DEPOSITION, 245
itobles of the court, that the articles above agreed upon shall
be carried into etfect, fully and completely, as soon . as the
prince latiely on the throne or Kandy shall be delivered into the
bands of the British government, and that, till then, a perfect
truce and cessation of hostilities shall continue between all the
contracting. parties.
And the said contracting parties have, in faith thereof, set
to the said articles their seals; and signed them with their
names respectively.
(Signed) FREDERICK: Noara, and
P1Lnu TALAWA, in Sir,gaku.
No. IV.
CORPORAL BA1tN8LET8 DEPOSITION AND NARRATIVE.
Tezt, p. 105.
1.-CORPORAL BARN8LET8 D11:POSITION, made June 27,

1808, before Captain Madge and Captain Pierce, of the
19th Regiment, and Assistant-Surgeon Gillespie, of the
Malay Regiment.
"That on the 28d June, a little before daylight, the Kan-

dyans commenced an attack on the hill-guard, in rear of the
palace, on which was a three-pounder, and took it. That soon
after, a strong body of the enemy, headed by a Malay chief,
made a charge on the eastern barrier to endeavour to take a
gnn which was there ; they were opposed by Lieutenant
Blakeney, at the head of a few men of the 19th, who himself
fell In the conflict. That an incessant fire was kep~ ap util
two o'clock in the day, when, as the enemy was endeavouring
246 APP&NDIX IT,
to break in at the rear of the palace, Major Davie hung out a

ftag of truce, oft'ering to surrender the town on being permitted
to march out with his arms. This they ooneented to ; and
Major Davie, after spiking the gnns, marched out about five
o'clock, and proceeded to W atapaloga, where he was obliged
to halt all night, being unable to pass the river. Next morn-
ing the Kandyans sent out four Modellers to propose, that if
MajQr Davie would give up Mootoo Sawmy; {the king whom
Governor North placed on the throne of Kandy, and who
retreated with oar troops,) they would a&!ist him with boats
and rafts to Cl'08I the river. On which Major Davie gave
him up by his own consent. After which another mesaage
was sent, that there were plenty of bamboos and other mate-
ri$18 at hand, and that they might make rafts for themselves.
All that day was employed in endeavouring to make rafts,
but they could not succeed in getting a rope across the river,
owing to the depth and rapidity of the current; but next day,
about ten o'clock, Captain Humphries, of the Bengal Artillery,
came and reported that he had succeeded in getting a rope
acrosa. About this time, some of the Malays and Gun-Las-
cars began to desert in small parties, upon which Major Davie
ordered the remainder to ground their arms, and follow him,
with all the officers, back to the garrison. As soon as they
had proceeded two hundred yards on their way thither, the
Kandyans stopped them, took the officers on one side, and
kept them prisoners for half an hour, when, this declarant says,
he heard shots in the direction of the place where the officers
were prisoners, and which was followed by their massacre.
That immediat.ely after, they took the European soldiers two
by two, and leading them a few yards along the road, knocked
them down with the butt-end of their pieces, and beat out their
brains. That this declarant was also led out with his comrade,
and received a blow under the right ear, and a wound ori the
back of his neck, which the enemy conceiving to be so.fflcient,
then proceeded to the murder of the remainder. That he lay
as dead for some time, and in that situation distinctly heard
the firing, whioh he supposed to be the putting them all ~
BA.RNSLEt'S NARRATIVE, 247
death. That he took the opportunity, while this was doing,
of crawling into the jungle, (forest,) where he lay till night,
and then proceeded to Fort Maedowal to give the information
to Captain Madge.
(Signed) " GEORGE ~ BARNSLEY,
~' Corpural, 19tA R.egiment."
2,--CORPORAL BARNSLEY'S NARRATIVE,
Tut, p. 105.
The following " Narrative/' or account of the massacre at

W atapologa, .and of Captain Madge's retreat to Trincomalee,
was drawn up at the request of Corporal Barnsley, and accord-
, ing to his dictation, at Trincomalee, by Bombardier Alexander,
shortly after Captain Madge and hie detachment reached that
garrison. Bombardier Alexander was a nephew of the late
Major Alexander, successively Captain in the 19th and 8d
Ceylon Regiments. The Bombardier had receh~ed a good com-
mon education; and Mr Howei, the editor of hie Biography,
bears ample testimony to hie character for strict veracity :-
" Before the period at which the command devolved upon
Major Davie, of the Malay corps, the whole troops had been
quite wom out by sickness and fatigue. The weather was
dreadful ; for three days the rain had poured in incessant tor-
rents ; and the army was in full retreat, on the faith of a
convention made with the treacherous natives. When they
arrived on the banks of the Maha Villa Ganga, which the rains
had swollen to a great height, a few of the sick, who had been
left under the care or the natives, joined the retreating army,
with the horrible inCormation that the Kandyans had com-
menced killing these poor helpless men, and that it was with
difficulty they had escaped. Thie threw a damp over the
minds of the whole army, who were busily preparing rafts to
croes the river. When they were ready, some of the native
troops swam acroes with the warps; and so far all was right,
.248 APPENDIX IV.
and they still had hope of eacaping, when suddenly the l'88Clllly
natiYell [Kandyans ?] cut the tow-lines before their eyes.
Many or them [native troops?] had already deserted to the
enemy, whom Barnsley saw firing upon the English in their
own uniform. As soon as this act of treachery was perpe-
trated, all hope fled, as the enemy began to make their
appearance on the opposite side, to oppose the passage. Soon
after the adikar came down to Major Davie,, with a proposal
for him to deliver up Mootoo Sawmy (the lawful king, who
had been crowned at Kandy, while General Macdowal was
there) to the Kandyans, and the army would be assisted to
cross the river, and get guides down to Trincomalee. Mootoo
Sawmy delivered up his sword to Major Davie. Both of them
11hed tears at parting. The night was spent in great anxiety,
but next day there was no elfort made by the Kandyans to
enable them to cross the river, nor any appearance of it. In
this state of suspense, the adikar came again, and proposed
,hat the British should deliver np their arms, as it wonld be
easier for them in marching, and the Kandyans would be
more at their ease in conducting them. This insidious pro-
posal startled Major Davie and his officers, when a council of
war was called. At the same time, two or three of the oldest
soldiers of the 19th waited respectfully upon the Major, and
requested that they might be allowed to hold a council at the
same time by themselves, which was refused. Unfortunately,
it was agreed by the council to comply ; the men reluctantly
obeyed with loud murmurs, and some of the more ardent
spirits boldly oalled ont not to do it. The unfortunate Major,
whose mind was in a dreadful agony, gave the word, 'Ground
your arms,' then recalled it for a short time, during which he
destroyed all his papers. At length the fatal act was done,
and the troops marched to a distance from their arms, and
halted, when the Europeans were separated from the na,ive
troops. Then the officers were likewise separated from the
privates, and Corporal Barnsley saw them no more.
" Tbey were then marched to a greater distance front tbeir
arms, and halted, when the Kaudyans came close up to the~.
BA.RNSLErs NARRATIVE, 249
staring in their faces, and demanding their clothes and other
little articles. One of them seized the neckeloth of an Irish
lad, one of the 19th, and began to poll it ; he knocked him
down at his feet. They stood thus some time exposed to
insult, when an adikar came running down to them, and im-
mediately two Kandyans seized the two men on the right, and
led them out of sight, and soon after returned for two more.
This was repeated several times before the unfortunate victims
began to sospeet the dreadful work that was going on. They
were stnpified with horror ; yet many were collected. One
iostance Barnsley often mentioned :-As they were leading off
two of their victims, one of them, who had ten pagodas
wrapped in a rag, took them out of his pocket and threw them
into the bosh. At length it came to poor Barnsley's turn,
who, more dead than alive, passively walked to the fatal spot,
strewed with the bodies of his conntrymen. The executioners,
with their large swords, chopped their victims down ; the
sword fell upon the back of his neck, his head fell upon his
breast, the sinews of his neck were cut through ; he got but
one chop, and became deprived of all sensation. When his
reoollection returned, the groans of the poor wretches were
dreadful. When he opened his eyes, he saw several of the
natives with ginjal, or wall-pieces, stalking over the heaps
of slain, beating every one on the head, whether life was
extinct or not. During this sight of horror he lay as still as
death, receiving only one blow on the head, which again
deprived him of sensation. When this butchery was com-
plete, they began to strip the dead. He was himself stripped
during his unconsciousness ; and, upon. his return to recollec-
tion, there was only his shirt upon his body, which was a very
bad one, or it had gone with the rest.
" The next recollection he had was of a great shouting and
tumult. He attempted to rise, but his head fell forward upon
his breast. Anxioos to know the cause, yet fearful of being
observed by the barbarians; he rose on all-fours, and support-
ing his head with his left hand., he could distinctly see a great
.concourse of them, as it' assembled round some object ~
I, 2
250 APPENDIX IV,
curiosity, those on the out.side jumping up, stretching their

necks as if to gain a sight of something that was going on in
the centre. At this time be distinctly beard pist.ol-sbots, and
supposed it was the English officers shooting themselves, as
they had their pistols concealed when the arms were delivered
up ; besides, be had heard some of his own officers say they
wonld shoot themselves rather than be chopped down, if they
saw no other alternative. This happened in the dusk of the
evening. As soon as it was dark he crawled into the bushes,
which were close at hand, and, in the best manner he could,
made for .the brink of the river, which was at no great dis-
tance ; yet it was a toilsome journey to him.
" When daylight came, he saw a Kandyan busy cutting op
the raft. The river had fallen much, for the rain had ceased.
As soon as be perceived the Kaodyan, he went more t.o the
right to be oot of his view. When he came t,o the banks
again, he foond the river too wide for him at this place ; and
recollecting having seen a bend in it, where the stream was
not 80 broad, he urged his painful 00111'88 t.owards it, support-
ing his head with one hand onder his chin, and the other.
under his elbow to aid it. Here he plunged in, swimming
with his right arm, and holding his head out of the water with
his left. In the middle of the stream he had nearly perished ;
the current was so strong it hurried him along with it ; to pre-
vent which be had, . in desperation, t,o use both arms, when
his head fell under the water, and he was nearly sufl'ocated.
Again he raised it ; the strength of the current was past,
and he reached the opposite bank in a very exhausted state,
where he lay for some time, with part of his body in the
river, and his breast and arms upon its banks. Anxious to
get as far as possible from the scene of his sufl'eriog, and con-
scious of his exposed situation, he made an effort t,o rise, and
with horror saw a Kandyan on the top of the bank upon
which he bad landed, gazing at him. Concealment was now
out of his power; his resolution was at once taken, and he
advanced boldly towards the Kandyan, who retreated in terror
to a small distance. The poor corporal made signs for him
BARNSLEY'S NARRATIVE, 251
to give him bis mat to cover him, as the Kandyan showed no
hostility nor wish to do him harm, and the rain bad again set
in. At length the Kandyan took it olf, and held it out upon
the end of bis staff', saying, Po, po,' (go.) He accordingly
wrapped it round him, and made the best of his way in the
direction of Fort .Macdowal.
"Shortly after, be came to a level part of the country, where
there were a great manyfoot-marks, for the ground was very
soft on account of the rain. His wound pained him much, and
his bead ached dreadfnlly from the blow be bad got with the
gun. Much as the rain incommoded him, be was pleased at
its continuance, for it was a great means of effecting his
escape, the Kandyans seldom leaving their bot.a in wet weather.
" Towards evening be came to a tract of rising land, where
he found a deserted house which wanted the roof. Here be
took np bis abode, and passed a night of the most acute suf-
fering. The rain poured down upon him in torrent.a ; bis
wound felt as if a red-bot iron lay on it, and almost drove him
to despair ; the night appeared to him an age, and though be
wished anxiously for day, he knew not, when it arrived, what
was to be bis fate ; but any thing was preferable to the agony
he suff'ered from bis wound, which the inclemency of the
weather now irritated more keenly than he could almost
endure.
u As soon as daylight came, he examined the house in vain
for some article or other that might be of use to him. At last
he went out and gathered a few leaves ; their properties were
unknown to him, but they were to cool bis wound. He then
tore up bis shirt, and dressed it, for the first time, in the best
manner he could, and then began to descend towards bis left, '
and shortly after saw smoke rising out from among some trees.
Cautiously approaching the spot, and peeping over the bushes,
he saw a number of Indians, a savage race, who live by rapine
and murder, and are said to be cannibals. They are tributary
to the King of Kandy, and get from him a reward for every
white man they can kill. He silently withdrew, and again
began to ascend te the top of the height he bad left. The op-
. DigitizedbyGoogle
APPDDIX IV.
poeite aide wu so steep and slippery, that he was under the

neceesity of slidiJir down on his breech. The country became
again more level, and was interspersed with wood. Here be
met a boy carrying two bundles of firewood on a slip of bam-
009, over his shoulder, who, immediately on seeing him, dropped
his load and fled to the bushes. He took no notice, but hur-
ried on, weary and faint from his woUDd and hunger. Thus
he proceeded, coneealiug himself in the best manner he could,
until he met two men and a boy, who stopped him, and began
to converse amongst themselves, often pointing to him. He
knew not what they conversed about, bot made all the signs
he could think of to obtain their pity. At length one of them
gave him a small cake of their country black bread. He put
it to his lips, but was unable to open his mouth, not having
the power of his jaws, (it was long after before he oould chew
his food;) be broke it oft' in small pieces, and in vain attempred
to swallow a little. At length they made signs for him to
follow them, and made no motion as if they were going t.o do
him any injury. He walked with them for a considerable
time ; at length they came to some houses, where there were
a good many native soldiers, and he was pot into a back apart-
ment of one of them. Soon after, one of their chiefs came to
him, and made signs to him to prostrate himself upon the
ground before him, which be did. The chief then departed,
and, soon after, a quantity of excellent curry and rice was
brought him. With much trouble and pain he eat some of it :
the sw.allowing it constituted bis greatest difficulty.
"Th.e tom-toms were then beat, and the army collected, in a
short time, to the number of about 0000 men and boys,
Having placed him in the centre, they moved on in a crowd,
in silence, without any appearance of military order, all crowd-
ing round and staring at him. At this moment his mind was
in great agitation, being unconscious what was to be his fate.
At length they came to a pagoda, (a numah house,) and he
now thonght his doom was fixed, and that he had been
bronght there to be sacrificed to their god. To his great relief,
.;however, they passed on, leaving ~ -in as ~ t un~ty
BABNSLErS NARRATIVE,
u ever what was to be his fate. At length his agitation be-

came so great, that his mind grew confused, and be walked
onward, almost nnconacionsly, until they came in sight of Fort
.Macdowal, when they baited. Fort Macdowal is sixieen
miles from Kandy, on the road to Trincomalee.
" The chief then came np to him, and cansed a ginjal-piece to
be brought and placed to his shoulder, ready cocked. He did
not know the meaning of all this, but thought they meant him
to fight against the English, or they would put him to death.,
He was going to pull the trigger, as a sigual that he would do
any thiug they commanded, when the chief, who was an .old
man, caused it to be taken from him, and smiled. After a
great deal of dumb show, with the assistance of some of the
natives who spoke the Malabar language, of which he knew a
little, he was made to understand that the chief wished the
English to come out of Fort Macdowal, and fight him in the
open ground. When he saw that Barnsley understood what
he meant, he was allowed to proceed, along with two of the
natives, to deliver his message, and they conducted him to the
bottom of the hill where the fort stood. As soon as they came
near it, they said, Po, po,' and left him, happy to be out of
their hands. At his near approach, the sentinel was struck
with terror at his emaciated figure and ghastly look. He was
conducted to Captain Madge, commander of the fortress at the
time, who was thunderstruck at bis appearance, and the me-
lancholy tidings he bore. The first words he said were, 'The
troops in Kandy are all dished, your honour.' Captain Madge,
i.n astonishment, required an explanation, which was too easily
given, when he immediately ordered the guns to be spiked, and
arrangements made for evacuating the fort, which was doue
.about ten o'clock, after the moon had sunk behind the hills.
All the sick were left to the. mercy of the enemy, who had
already shown that they had none. The lamps were left
burning, and the march was' commenced in silence. 'This,
however, was soon discovered, and those of the sick who were
most able followed the line of march until they dropped.
Poo1: :i3arnsley, after having his ghastly wound dressed by the
254 APPENDIX V.
surgeon, marched on, supporting bis bead by bis bands, as be

bad done all along, and arrived, with those who were able to
keep up, on the Cottiar shore, where the man-of-war boats
were stationed, who took them on board, and brought them to
Trincomalee, which they reached on the Sd J nly .''-{Life of
&mcbardier Aluaader Aluaader, fl1rilte1a bg him,,elj, and
edited bg Joh,. Hou:el, vol. i. p. 112.)
No. V.
LETl'ER8 TO CAPTAIN JOHNSTON FROM THE ACTING ADJUTANT

GENERAL.
Tut, p.. 12S.
CoPY OF Two LBTIBRS addressed to Captain Johnston, by

order of General Wemyss.
(Most secret.)
Trincmnalu, September S, 1,804.

Srn,-ln the event of your not having marched towards
Arriagam, you are directed to have a strong detachment in
perfect readiness, 88 soon 88 possible, to march to Kandy by
the route of Uwa. To enable yon to equip a strong force, a
detachment of Europeans and natives will march from this as
soon as the weather cl~, and, when joined by it, yon will
proceed towards the enemy's country, arranging so as to be
within eight days' march of the town of Kandy on the 20th
instant, which is the day fixed for the commencement of ge-
neral co-operations. Yon will then proceed direct upon Kandy,
not doingany injury to the country or people, unless opposed;
D1g1tized by Google
LETTERS. 255
and, as different detachment.a are ordered to march precisely
on the 20th, for genel'lll co-operation for the destruction or the
enemy's capital, the various columns will be put in motion Crom
Colombo, Hambantot.e, Trineomalee, Negombo, Chilow, and
Putlam, the whole to be within eight days' march of Kandy
on the 20th instant, and, on the 28th or 29th, the commander
of the forces fully expect.a a geuel'lll junction on the heights of
Kandy.
The general fully relies on the execution or these instruc-
tions; and, fn>m your well-known zeal and activity, he has no
doubt or a perfect completion of his wishes.
I have the .honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
(Signed) R. MOWBRAY,
To Captain Johnston, Act. D. Adj.-Gen.
Commanding Battieallo.
Ja.ffnapatam, 8th September 1804.

Sm,-The commander or the fo~ direct.a yon will, on
receipt of this, reduce your division to 800 men, as you will
then be enabled to have a sufficiency of coolies for.the purpose
or ent.ering the enemy's dominions. .As some unforeseen
obstacles have prevent.ed the various columns forming the in-
tended junction about the 28th or 29th instant, on the heights
of Kandy, agreeably to the instructions transmitted to yon on
the 3d instant, you are direet.ed to march on the 20th of this
month, bending your course towards the province of Uwa, and
form junction, at the entrance of that part, [province?] with
the detachment ordered Crom Hambantot.e, which will march
the same day, the 20th instant, by the rout.e or Katragamme,
on the great road leading to Kandy, which Is Creqnent.ed by
the king for visiting that temple.
Yon will, in junction with the other detachment.a, concert
such measures as will best tend to eft'eet the greatest devasta-
tion and injury to the enemy'11 country.
256 APPENDIX VL
All persons found in arma, to be immediately made example,

of, and the peaceful and defenceless peasant t.o be sp&l'.6d.
You will note, in writing, all observations relative t.o the
coontry, as oar fntare operations will be guided by them in
that part, and transmit yoar journal t.o me for the general's
information.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) R. MOWBRAY,
To Captain Johnston, Act. D. Atij.-Gen.
Commanding Batticallo.
No. VI.
BOMBARDIER ALEXA."C1>ER1S ACCOUNT OF CAPTAIN JOHNSTON'S

EXPEDITION.
Tut, p. 180.
The following account of Captain Johnston's expedition,

which was published in Bowel's Life of Bombardier Alexander,
appears t.o have been compiled byAlexander from oral infor-
mation received from soldiers who belonged to Captain John-
ston's detachment, and survived the retreat :-
" Captain Johnston, being a brave and enterprising officer,
pushed on with the utmost despatch, in order to reach the
capital first. So rapid were his movements, that the tapal
sent 'after him was unable to overtake the army, until they
were too far into the country; he being afraid to follow,
returned, so that Captain Johnston had no knowledge of what
had taken place. To the great joy of Captain Johnston and
his army, they reached the capital in safety, without opposi-
tion, and foond it deserted. AU they saw was a little boy
CAPTAIN JOHNSTON'S EXPEDITION. 257
weeping, a woman over whose fate humanity forces me iO

draw a veil, and a white rat. The poor boy was allowed iO
escape, the rat was taken prisoner. Captain Johoston was so
much pleased with it, he resolved to nave great care taken of
' it, as he meant to have it carried home to Ireland as a pre-
sent for his mother ; but, fuished with success, one of the 19th
wantonly exclaimed, All flesh is grass,' and killed it, for
which the Captain confined him ; but his confinement was of
short dnration.
/' Not in the least alarmed at not finding any of the other
divisions before ~hem, bot rather rejoicing, anticipating the
glorious advantage they would have in plundering as soon as
the others appeared, they anxiously looked for th~ir arrival to
begin. At length some of the 19th, who had been in the
capital before, and were partly acquainted with the place, dis-
covered some arrack in the palace, placed there by the troops
of the former expedition, and left in their hurried retreat.
The discoverers, forgetting their situation, abandoned them-
selves to it ; the drunkenness was spreading fast before the
officers perceived and put a stop to it. Still there was no
appearance of the arrival of any of the expected divisions,
while the enemy were colleoting in great numbers npon the
adjacent bills. At their first appearance, joy ran through the
little army ; they were taken for friends, being clothed in the
arms and dress of the men they bad formerly butchered ; but
the spy-glass soon made known what they were, the red-coats
covered black skins. Still averse, in their desperate circum~
stances, to be undeceived, they were taken for our own native
troops ; bot the tardiness of their approach, and the fearful
increase of their numbers, too soon dispelled this last hope.
Unable to account for the delay of the other divisions, which
ought to have been up before this time, a dreadful anxiety
took the place of ~heir former exultation, The Kandyans
were still. collecting in immense numbers, and gradually
approaching to commence the attack,-a whole kingdom
against 800 men. No tongue can express the feelings of
intense an:ir.iety that took possession of the little arm1 ; tho
l
1
258 APPENDIX VI.
recollection or the last massacre 1'118hed on their minds ; the

cry ran throngh the ranks, ' A massacre, a massacre,-a second
musaere ; we are sold, we are sold ; General W emyss has
aold us; North has sold us ; we cannot retreat, it is of no use
to try it ; let us remain where we are, and fight to the last
llllD.' The whole town resounded with their cries ; horror
and despair were in every man's face ; all was confusion until
Cap&ain Johnston, collecting his troops around him, and liruDg
up his arms to heaven, exclaimed, ' I am innocent; I un
innocent of every thing ; I neither know the cause, nor any
design in this; for if you are sold, I am alae sold ; but let us
not despair, for while we have oar arms and life there is hope ;
bot to remain here is cenain death, it is the same as if we
were to tnrn our arms against each other, and die by our own "
handa. Then, to tranquillize the minds of the men, he pulled
out his instructions, and read them over. He then showed
where he concealed them on his person, that, in the event of
his being killed, they might not be lost. This being done, he
coolly and seriously recommended an immediate ~treat, strictly
enjoining order and regularity, together with obedience to
orders, and, above all, silence ; keeping close together, and
waiting for each other, and on no acconnt to separate, as, if
the front were heedlessly to push on, the rear most be sepa-
rated from it, and both bee.ome an easy prey to the enemy.
' Men,' he cried, ' be carefu,l of your ammunition ; do not
heedlessly fire it away, or allow it to be damaged, for on that
depends our safety. Remember the massacre of our country-
men two years ago, whose bones we passed over the other
day, and have again to pass over. To avoid such a sad fate,
be firm, be cool, and upon all occasions obedient to orders,
and we shall yet reach our countrymen in safety.'
"Just at this time, old Serjeant Simpson, of the Artillery,
who was of a dogmatical and careless tnrn of mind, in the
middle of this confusion had, through negligence, allowed fire
to be somehow introduced among eome live carcases which
were lying strewed about, by which be himself was severely
wound!ld in the breech, one of the 19th killed, and several
CAPTAIN WBN8TON'S EXPEDITION. 259
others more or less hurt. The circumstances of the times did

not admit of any inquiry to punish the defaulters ; but it was
a severe misfortune, ' as,' Captain Johnston trnly said, ' one
white face at this time was worth a hundred at any other,' as
the enemy did not beskate to attack the native troops, but
were always inspired with terror at ~be sight of the Europeans.
" Every moment's delay only served to increase the danger;
as the enemy could be .seen thickening on every side. The
little army was completely surrounded by OTerWhelming num-
bers : the wounded were placed in doolies, ( a common kind of
palanquin for carrying the sick,) and borne on the shouters
of the coolies, (natives employed as pioneers to carry bnrdens
or do any hard work.) All being thus arranged, the retreat
commenced, and the small army moved down towards the
river, keeping as close together as po881ole. In this order they
soon passed over the ground where the bones of their unfor-
tunate countrymen lay whitening in the sun, unburied sknlls
and thigh-bones mixed together. This sight of horror bad a
most powerful effect upon the men in their present circom-
.stances, when the same fat.e appeared almost inevitable for
themselves. It added firmness to their resolution, never to
submit or lay down their arms to such an enemy, but to die
fighting, or suffer any famine or fatigue, rather than be butch-
ered in cold blood by their cowardly foe, whose fears for a
white face only allowed them to live for an hour, so over-
whelming were their numbers.
"As soon as they came to the side of the river, where Major
Davie had before, in vain, attempted to Cll'0881 two rafts were
made, during which time an attack was made from both sides
of the river. The shouts and howlings of the enemy even
drowned the report of their giojal pieces ; repeatedly they at-
tempted to cut the warps, without sucoess ; the little band
succeeded in repassing the river, in which was sunk their
little ordnance; the soldiers abandoned their knapsacks, and
the officers their baggage ; wines, spirits, and provisions, all
were destroyed ; they rese"ed only their arms, ammunition,
\I
!60
dooliee, ration-arrack, and the tent.a; every thing else was sa-
crificed t.o lighten the men, and facilitate the retreat.
"The enemy gave every obstruction in their power, and did
all they could to impede their progress. They seemed inspired
with tenfold fury at the success of the troops in Cf088ing the
river; a general rush was made upon them from all quarters ;
the crias were, if poaaible, redoubled ; every effort was made,
in vain, to overwhelm this handful of men. .After a severe
atruggle, the enemy at length retired, and a short breathing-
time wu thUB bravely earned, and onwards they moved,
melancholy and harused, but determined in spirit.
"How different did this rich and fertile country appear in the
advance from what it now did in t,e retreat! In the one,
the high and craggy rocks, the stately palm, and coco-nut
trees, the lofty timber, and rich fields of rice, were all objecu
or admiration ; now that every tree or rock concealeJ a lurking
foe, they were object.a of distrust. In many places the roads
were so narrow, the army had no other way to march than in
Indian file, that is, rank entire. They had wound along these
roads, in the advance, with pleasure and admiration, flushed
with the hopes of victory and success ; now they were the
sources of their greatest uneasiness. As the word of command
to the troops was given with difficulty, silence being so neces-
sary, it was puaed along in a wbiaper from front to rear, from
man to man ; besides, they were more exposed to the enemy,
who lost no opportunity of annoying them. Every t1-ee and
bDBh seemed to send forth fire ; the attacks upon the rear were
inC688&1lt ; while the native troops, at every approach of the
enemy, rushed in amongst the whites : they seemed panic
struck : fear and dismay were evident in their dingy faces ;
and well it might ; for the Kandyans rushed upon them with
ferocioUB rage, inspired by the direst hatred ; but as soon as
half-a-dozen of whites formed, they, in their torn, fled equally
dismayed.
" When night came, the troops bad not, e,en then, one mo-
ment to repose, but sat with their arms in melancholy silence,
while the hills and woods re-echoed the yells of th~ foe. Their
CAPTAIN JOHNSTON'S EXPEDITION. 261
awful howlings and terrific shouts, dnriilg the darkness of the

night, were trnly appalling: even then the fire was kept up
upon the little army.
"Next morning the toilsome march again commenced; it
was with difficulty the front could be restrained in. their ad
vance, so anxious were all for their own individnal safety,
unmindful of the consequence either to themselves or their
comrades. They had often to be halted until the rear came
up; for these were obliged to face about and repel the enemy.
The poor Sepoys were 80 intimidated, that Captain Johnston
placed them in the centre, the Europeans being in the van,
and the Malays in the rear. These last, although men of
small stature, are lively, bold, and active; but they were 80
often overpowered, that a good many Europeans had to be
mixed among them, which rendered them more steady, and
dismayed the enemy. Still their assaults were ince!lsant, espe-
cially in the passes and defiles of the mountains, where tbef
rolled down huge masses of rock upon the line of march, and
had felled large trees across the path, the very branches of
which were larger than the trees in Europe.
"The army bad a small quantity of salt-beef with them ; the
rest of their provisions they were forced to forage for ; bnt this
was not difficult, for the wild bogs and bnff'aloes were plenti-
ful, and sweet to eat. Salt was their great want. Troops of
elephants often crossed their path. All the animals they
killed, though fat and fair, were more or less diseased in the
liver.
"Through the dreadful obstructions thrown in their way, and
the incessant attacks of the enemy, it was found impossible to
carry on the sick and wounded. These, along with the coolies,
fell all into the hands of the enemy. Many were taken, their
handa and feet bound, their months stuffed with grass to pre-
vent their cries, slung upon a bamboo pole, and thus borne olf
to be butchered like sheep. When the army bad OCC88ion to
stop, however llbortly, numbers secured in this manner wer
recovered by their comrades, when millsed in time, by a hasty
charge with their bayonets.
\
262 APPENDIX vt,
" In this melancholy march they made but lltde progrese.

Th'eir fatigue was great ; many became diseased in their
bowels, others foot-sore ; all were weak and spent ; some 10
much so, that they became llnfit to carry their arms. Ordera
were given for such to take their muskets to pieces, and throw"
oue part of the look in one place, another in a diff'erent, and to
break the stock and ramrod, that they might be of no use to
the enemy. Thoa everything wu conducted in the beet
manner ; but no man threw away his arms while he
wu able
to drag them along; and many poor fellows were to be seen
with the muzzle in their hands, and the butts trailing on the
ground, loathe to part with their only safety ; bot their dJa..
tresses came thick upon them in this cunied climate, which
fatigue never fails to aggravat.e.
" As the di8tre8s increased, discipline became more and more
lax ; and the men often refused to obey their offlcera. This
was the case amongst the white troops, the stout.est of whom
were much incliDed to separate and urge on right forward,
every one only taken up with himself. To stop this destruc-
tive tendency in the men, required the utmost efforts of th!)
officers, as the non-commissioned officer& were as bad as the
private men, more especially aSerjeant Baird of the 19th. Atone
period they fairly refused to obey command, replying to their
officers, ' What is the use of our stopping to be lost for a few?'
They turned a deaf ear to th'e in the rear ; and the affecting
appeals of their officers, who every now and then placed them-
selves in front, calling out, 'My God I my God I-Stop, men-
do stop. Will you not obey command? If you do not, we
must all inevitably perish, the front as well as the rear ; '
while Captain Johnston was almost driven to distraction by
their refractory conduct. It was only by reasoning and
arguing the point, that any thing was done even for the safety
of all.
At length they arrived in a small plain of a square form,
where a simnltaneoua attack was made upon them from the
woods on every side. It was like any thing but a battle suclt
as is usually fought ; for the enemy still concealed them.aelves
CAPTAIN JOHNSTON'S EXPEDITION, 263
behind the trees, which were quite close t.o the open space, but
not extremely thick. Here there was some opportuni&y of
retaliation : all was now the moat prompt obedience t.o every
order. Their chiefs, an~ even the men, were seen flitting
amongst the trees. No rash and inconsiderat.e fire was kept
up by the little band ; but, as soon as a white turban was
seen, two or three muskets were levelled at it. A great many
of them fell. Formerly the muskets were only pointed t.o
where the smoke came from ;-now the aim was the man
himself. This so intimidated the enemy, that they never ven-
tured out upon the British. Two of their chiefs fell, when they
immediately ceased firing, and there was an int.erval of rest.
"A very melancholy scene took place here : Lieut.enant
Vincent, of the grenadier company of the 19th, received a
shot in the groin ; it had been rather spent. He walked on
with the others until the blood was coming out over the t.op
of his boot at the knee ; at length be became quite faint, and
wasput into a doolie; and also Ensign Smith, who was strnck
on the breast with a spent ball, which knocked him down.
They were sent oft' by a bye-road, under the care of the
guides, with instrnetions t.o join again upon the route.
" When poor Vincent was strnck., he exclaimed,-' I have
caught-I have caught it, men!' All were grieved for him.
He begged and implored some of bis men t.o remain beside
him, and he wonld reward them handsomely, as he w.as well
able t.o do. His appeals were vain,-the danger was so mani-
fest, none wonld comply. At length be addressed himself to
one of his own grenadiers, oft'ering him as a recompense L.500
and his discharge, or whatever he wished he wonld do for him.
To these tempting ofl'ers the poor fellow turned a deaf ear.
At length he said, ' I will go with you-stand by you-live
or die with you ; but it is not your reward that makes me do
so,-it is pity for you, and the love I bear you ; all the world
would not otherwise induce me to do so. I will share your
fate, come what will-but It is for love alone.' They moved
off; Lieutenant Vincent held a penknife open in his hand,
resolved not to fall alive into the bands of the enemy.
!64 APPENDIX VI.
"All was conCaaion and altercation about what road they

should take. Some were for one route, some for another ;
110me bail the folly to call for a council of war, though all that
their llitualion required was implicit and ready obedience to
their oflit.el'II. Small es their numbers were, Captain Johnston
could not be omnipresent : llis exertions were truly wonderful,
and the other officers did all that men could do. Bnt their
misery still continuul to incre&l!e as their strength became ex-
haaated, and the coolies, who bore the sick and wounded,
sunk under their loads. To ease them, the doolies were
thrown away, and blanket.s, slung on bamboos, substituted.
The weather was extremely hot during the day, excepting
when it rained, and the nights and mornings were very cold.
This brought on agues, wbich afflieted almost all the Europeans.
W &&er was also extremely scarce, and, in general, bad when
it could be got, being no better than stagnant puddles 1l8ed by
the wild beasts of these forests.
" Still fighting and struggling on, they came to that place
where they should have found the three men and the coolies,
they having been sent a nearer and safer way ; bat, alas !
they never were heard of; their fate may easily be coneeivecl.
Still in hopes that they had gone on, the army proceeded. To
add perplexity to their sntreriilgs, the sun became so obeeured
by clonds, they did not see it for some days. Hitherto, their
course, which lay dne east, for Trincomalee had been guided
by it ; now they became completely bewildered. The guides,
over whom a strict and jealous watch was kept, had either
lost their way, or pretended they bad done so : they repeatedly
bad to climb to the tops of the loftiest trees to look about them.
"Captain Johnston, in this dilemma, had recourse to the
whip ; he tied np the guides to the trees and flogged them, to
make them look sharper. At length the rain began to pour in
torrents ; it was extremely cold. This, under God, proved
. ihe means of their safety ; for the Kandyans soon after gave
up.the pursuit, as they cannot stand the rain and cold. And
hua they at length reached Trineomalee, cold, wet, dirty, and
tloaay ; almw naked, many barefoot and maimed. Ofllcen
CAPTAIN .JOHNSTON'S EXPEDITION. 265.
and all were alike starved and shrivelled ; their countenances

haggard; forming an uaemblage of the mOM miserable-looking
men it is po88ible to conceive. AU had to go to the hoepi.tal
on their arrival ; their strength appeared only to have endured
to this point, then to have utterly deserted them. Indeed,
this retreat wu u fatal to the men as the lll888ACre had been ;
for almost all died in the hospital; few, very few, survived.
"The sensation this unfortunate expedition made wu very
great. There was much murmuring and blame for the fate of
Lieatenant Vincent and Elll!ign Smith. Two trials arose out
of it : there wu a irm de&erm.ination to punish some one,
aad, in .tb.eae euee, the saddle is not always placed upon the
right horse.
"A Serjeant Henry Cre,ven,. of the 19th, wu tnrnel out of
the hospital to the main-guard, and cured there; then tried
by a court-martial for cowardice; in aknlking behind a tree
during the action, and for langhing at onll of these officers
wtaen be was wounded. Poor Craven stoutly declared his
innocence ; the evld~ee was not very distinct ; yet he was
sentenced to be transported as a felon, for the term of his
natural life, to Botany Bay, and remained long in the main-
guard a prisoner. He was at length sent on board his
Majesty's ship &llequeuz, 64 guns, then lying at Trincoma-
lee, to be a sweeper, where he only lived eighteen months,
and died of grief; while there wu not one wonl of Serjeant
Bakd, who behaved ao openly bad in encouraging the men to
urge forward, he being in front
. The other trial was that of Lieutenant. Virgo, of the Malay
Regiment, now the lat Ceylon. Bespecting the two officers,
he wu treated widl great asperity by the officers of the 19th,
and was hardly dealt with in his trial. He was sentenced to
be anapended from rank and pay for six calendar montu,
although he wu wounded and lost an eye on the retreat.
" Captain Johnston afterwards removed to Colombo ; and,
being likewise censured by hla brother offioen, be.applied for
a general court-martial, and ft!1 honourably acquitted. There
wG'e.a P'9't_maay u.euniona iato ~e.enemy's comtry; noDe
I(
266
well& ao lar claJfag lll7 ata7, er lderell an7 tbiag like this;
but all the ult eoon died awa7."-{Lv'e of BoalMrdier .Alu-
_.., vol. i. p. 1'9.)
No.vn
Tat, p. 1'8.
PROOL.UU.nos b7 hfa Exeellenc, Lieutenant-Gaeral BoaD'I'

BBOWNBioo, Governor aad Commoder-ln-Cllielha andovw
the Bridab Settlements and Terrliories ha tile hland of
Oe7lon, with the Dependencies thereof,
J,.COUIICil.
Bia Excellency tile Govem01 and c~~-ln-Claief of

the BritiJh Settlements in the lalaad of Ceylon oolJld noi h8"
wWa lndifl'erence tile pra7ers of the inhabitant. o( ive eitell
aive ~ CODStimt.ing more than one-halfof the Xanfl,-
kingdom, who, with one unanbnoaa vo~ raised apiJllt &lie
tyrann7 md oppresaion of .their ruler, takiDg up lll'ID8 in
defence of their lives, Qr flying from his power, implored tb..e
pro~ of the British government, wi.Re the mon COBvia-
cing cinMmatanees indicated corresponding eentimeata, from
the same caaaea, in other provinces 1eea within the reacla of
direct communication, Neither oonld hla Exoellimey con-
template, withoat the liveliest emotions of iDdignation and
:reaennnent, the atrocious barbarit)' recently perpetnt.e4. ia
Kandy upon ten innocent aubjecta of tile British govarnmepi
-eeven of whom iJ18tantl7 died of their 81l(erinp, au,d &bree
267
mfaerable vhltlm8 were IJelll, in defl.ance, with tltiir mutilated

limbs, acroea the limits, to relaee the dlatMslng tale, and u-
Ju1H the 11.oml speo&acle to &be eyes of aa iuulted. govern-
ment, and aa indigunt people in the capital of the BriCieh
eeetlements.
In the perpetrator of dteee acts, his Excelleney eonvintingly
,reoognisee tlae tiue author of that implacable aaim.oeity whieb.
hae conatanely been oppoeed to every approach of fl\endly
int.eNloune, so oflen att.empted on the part of his M*8tY's
government.
No shadow of doubt now remains that the ~on of all rela-
tions of amity originated~ conlhmea with the king alone, and
that the people are RO otherwiee parties to lllCh a policy, than u
they are eompelled to become so by a ooercloD alike hoetile to
the British intereats, and int.olerable to themselvt!&
To him and hia advisers ia imputable the impoealbility,
proved by repeat,ed triala, of t.ermiu&lng, by any jut or de-
.fined oonditiou, a state of rel&tiona 11118ettled and precarious
beyond all precedent-which bean noeaaential eharaeter of a
peace, nor hae any title to that appellation-whleh yields no
solid tranquillity or sale int.eroonrse, but perpetuates the alarms
of war without its remedlee-aad wltieh, to continue any
longer, after a publle aneq1llffilal aet of hoatllity, would be to
sanction iajmy and encourage insult.
By the irrelisdble influence of these feelingl and comidera-
tions, his Excelleney had become convinced of the unavoidable
neeessity of resolving to carry his M,Jesty's arms into the
Kandyan country. II). this, however, he hae beea anticipated
by the irruptioa. of an armed Kandyan tbroe into tile British
territory; who, having punned the fugltive inhabitant8 acn,a
the boundary river of Sltawaka, flred ~pon them ftom the
opposite bank, and, flD.all.r, Cl'Oll8iDg that river in arms int.o
the Hewagam Korle, prooeeded to commit cleprecla&fona. oa
his :lftdeety's subject&
This measure, therefore, supersedes every dehllerative.
.consideration, and leaves no choice but &hat of repelliDg the
hostile forces from the British frontier..
268 APPBlfDJX VU.
But it ia not aga1nat the Kandyu na&ion that tile arma.ef

hie Majesty are directed ; hli Excellency proclaims hoetilliy
again8& that tyranDieal power alone~ which baa provoked, by
aggravated omnpa ud b!.dignities, the Jun reaen~t Qf
the Britiah nation, which baa cut oft the moet .ancient and
noble familiee in hie kingdom, deluged the land with the blood
of hie 811bjeeta, ud, by the violat.ion of every religio'aa and
moral law, become an object of abhemmce to mankind.
For securing the permanent tranquillity of these settle-
mentli, and in vindication of the honour of the ijritlah name ;
for the deliverance of the Kandyan people from their OJ)IIJ'ell-
aiona ; in fine, for the nbvenion of that Malabar dominion,
which, during three generationa, baa tyrannized over the
country, bis Excellency hu resolved to employ the powerful
resources placed at hie diapoeal.
Bia Excellency hereby proffen to every individual of the
Xandyan nation the benign protection of the British govern-
ment; exhorta them to remain without fear in their dwellinp, to
regard the armed forces who pua through their villagea aa
))l:OtedorB and friends, and to co-operate with them for the
aecompliahment of these beneficial objeeta.
In their march through the country, the most rigorous
_discipline will be obeerved by the Briuah iroope ; the peace-
To subvert a dominion, or to exurpa&e a dyuuiy, 18 rarely, I

believe, uaigned u an object for making war : in the present cue,
it wu punishing Kanneaamy for the imputed sins of hia predeces-
sors. Authors are not agreed in regard to the policy which abould
guide ua in respect to the monarchs of IJidia. Mr Mill 18e!D&
to think tlw &he British government baa no right to - i , in ite
nesotiationa, a superiority onr the native powere, but that we an!
~und to deal with the aovereigD.8 of India on the eame terma .of
equality u we should be with any of &he establiabed monarchs of
Europe. Qiher authors maintain, that in the C011Dsels of Di..-ine
Proridence, Englan,l nands in India u an ascendant power in-
vested with supremacy in rirtue of European civilwmon, which
is destined to snpersede and eupplant Oriental systems. Those
who adopt the latter opinion, seem to a88Ume that we may try the
conduct of. a community by a diff"erent eode of morality from that
wbich regulates individualt.

PtlOCLAllATION. 269
able inhabitants will be protected from all injury in their per-

sons and property, and payment will scrupulously be made for
every article of provisions which they furnish. Their religion
shall be held sacred, and their temples respected. The power
or his :Majesty's arms will be exerted only against those who,
deserting the e&1186 of tlleir country, oppose the progress of
his Majesty's troops, and of their own countrymen united in
anns for their deliverance.
Lastly, His Excellency.promises, In the name of his Majesty
the King of Great Britain, to the chiefs, .t he continuance or
theirrespeetive ranks-and dignities ; to the people, rener from
all atbitrary severities and oppressions, with the fullest pro_.
teetion of their persons and property ; and to all classes, the
inviolate maintenance of their religion, and the preservation
of their ancient laws and institntions, with the extension of
the blessings resulting trom the establishment of jnstiee,
security, and peace, which are enjoyed by the most favoured
nations living under the safeguard ofthe British Crown.
By order of the Council,
(Signed) JAXBs GAY,
. &c. to Council,
. Published by his Exeellency's command, in the absence of

the Chief Secretary to Government.
(Signed) J..u,:u Gn,
Dep. &c."to Govt.
God save the King I
Given at Colombo this 10th day of January 1816.
270 ..t.PPDDIX TIIL
lfo. VIII.
01'nCUL DBCUJUll'IOll' o. ms D1'ft.81Daffo, nrir:

JtA!IDYAJS ftl()VDICJl8,
T~p.HO,
Led by the bm&atlen of the cb1ell, and weloomed by the

acnlamatJODB of '-people.the bee&~ Ida Britamdo)lljeny
have emered &he Kandyaa ienflory, and penetrated to the
capital. Divine PIOvidenet hu blea8ed tbeirefl'wts with 11Di-
tbrm and complete IUCCIIIII, The raler of the interior pro-
vincea hu fallen iato their hands, 1111d the government remains
at the dispMlll of his Majllty'11 repreaeDtative.
In tWa aored ehage, it la llill earnest prayertbat the power
which has vouchsafed thu far to f'avom the undertaking, may
guide his C01DUl81a to a happy ae in the welfare and pros-
perity of the people, and the honour of the British empire.
Under CU"CIIDl8Wlcee far difl'erent from any which exist in
the pnlll8llt cue,. it would be a duty, awl a Jieuing one, to
favour the re-eetablishmen.t of a fallm pmlClli if hia domiuiou
could be hed on any princlplel of external relation compa-
tible wWl the rights of the neighbouring gol'el'nDlent, or his
internal rule in any reuonabm degree raconcllecl to the safety
of his subjectll.
But the horriWe tnDaletiOIJI of the flltal year UI08,. "lned
upon the recollection by many local clrcumstancee, and by
detalls unknown before ; the massacre of 160 sick soldiers,
lying helpless in the hospital of Kandy, left under the pledge
of public faith ; and the no less treacherous murder of the
whole British garrison commanded by ~or Davie, which had
surrendered on a promise of safety, impress uwn the gover-
nor's mind an act of perfidy unparalleled in civilized warfare.
and an awful lesson, recorded in characters of blood, ag&ilm
0tg,1i,ed by Google
OffIOUL DBOLA&ATION. 171
the momentary aclmiaion of ftKtlre .confidence ; while the
obstina&e rejection of all friendl7 overtures, repeatedl7 made
doriDg the intermiesloa of hoetilitfes', bu eened to Mince an
implacable animosity~ cleewucJlrte of. the hope of a sincere
NCODeiliaion.
Of this animoeity, a daring inet.ance was eui"bited in &be
11Dprovoked and barbarous DU1tiladon of a inocent 111bjeet.a
er the British government, by which eeven of the namber lost
their lives; a meatme of deAanoe e.alculated, and appartntl7
intended, io pm a fi1III negative to every probability of frlen4ly
interooune.
lf, therefore, in tlie present revene of his fortunes and con- .
di&ioD,, it may be preauned the king would be found more
accell8ible to neplation than in forlller thne8, w~ value
eo1WI be set on a CODSen~ at variance with the known P"iB
cipl of his 1'eign? or what dependence placed on his obleiv-
aoce of condit.l.ons which he baa hiillerto so ~eringly
repelled?
Stil leas ooald the' hope fol' a lllOlleJd be .eatertained. that
an7 oonditioua of IIM)' were eapableJJlbemg establiahed on
behalf of the iBhahitants, who had ...,ea1ed to his Majesty's
pY81'1l1DeDt for prot.eotion,8DCI-,- more hopeleu the att.empt
to oMain pardon.or aa:fep#4 for the obiefiJi who had deemed
i& a daty ~ .to fl'ferJ oiher ol>ligatlon to become the
medium of 1illlt appeal.
How far their comp]alnt.t laave been grollDdleea,. and their
..,.it.ion lloentiowt,, or, on the oontrary; their grievancea bit-
terly and intoler&My real,, may now be judged by filota of
unquestionable auhenticity. .
The wanton destruction of human life comprises or'implie$
the existence of general oppreeaion. In conjunction with that,
no other proofs of the exercise of tyranny require to be speci-
fied ; and one single instance, of no distant date, will be
aelmowledged to include every thing which is barbarous and
unprincipled in public rule, and to portray the last stage of
individual depravity and wickedness, the obliteration of every
272 APPDDIX vm.
trace of ooDBCience, aad die comple&e adnetloil of human
feeling.
In the deplorable fate of the wife aacl ~ of Eheylapol&
Adibr, theee aaaertions are fully aaba&udla&ed : ID wllicb wu
exhibit.eel the savage acene of four infant children, the yomagest
torn froin the mother's breut, cruelly buiehered, and their
heads bruised in a mortar by the hands of their ~nt, IIIIC
ceeded by the execution of the woman herself and three
femalee more, whose limbs being bound, and a heavy atone
tied round the neck of eaclt, they were thrown Into a lake and
drowned.
It ia not, however, tlaat under an absolute govemment
unprov.ed suspicion must usurp the place of fair trial, and the
fiat of the ruler stand instead of the declaion of justice ; it ia
not that a rash, violent, or unjust decree, or a revolting mode
of execution, ia here brought to view, nor the innocent suft'er-
iug under the groundleea imputation of guilt; but a bold con-
tempt of every principle. of justice, setting at nought all known
grounds of punishment, dispensing with the neceesity of accu-
sation, and choosing foi:. its victims helpleea females uncharged
11ith any off'ebce, and infants incapable of crime.
Contemplating these atrocities, the impoaaibillty of eetab-
liahing with aueh a man any civilized relations, either of peace
or war, eeaaee to be a subject of regret; since his Ma:Jeaty's
arms; hitherto employed in the generous purpoae of relieving~
the oppreeaed, would be tarnished and disgraced ID being
instrumental to the restoration of a dominion, exerclaed in a
perpetual outrage to every thing which ia aaered in the eonsti-
tution or functions of a legitimate government.
I.
CONVENTION, 278
No. IX.
OOXVBMTION.
Tut, p.164.
" At a Convention, held on the 2d day of March, in the year

of Christ 1816, and the Slngalese year 1786, at the Palace, In
the City of Kandy, between his Excellency Lleutenant-Gene-
ral.Bobert Brownrigg, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in
and over the British Settlements and Territories in the Island
of Ceylon, acting in the name and on behalf of his Majesty
George the Third, King, and his Royal Higbnes11 George
Prince of Wales, Regent of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, on the one part, and the A.dikars, Dis-
saves, and other ptjncipal chiefs of the Kandyan provinces, on
behalf of the Inhabitants, and in presence of the Mohottales,
Coraals, Vulaans, and other subordinate head men from the
several provinces, and of the people then and there lll!llembled,
on the other part, It is .agreed and established as follows :-
" 1st. That the cruelties and oppressions of the Malabar
ruler, in the arbitrary and unjnst Infliction of bodily tortures;
and the pains of death, without trial, and sometimes without
an aceusation or the J>0881'bility of a crime, and in the general
contempt and contravention of all civil rights, have become
flagrant, enormona, and Intolerable ; the acts and maxims of
his government being equally and entirely devoid of that jus-
tice. which should secure the safety of his subjects, and of that
good faith which might obtain a beneficial intercourse with the
neighbouring settlem~ts.
" 2d. That the Rajah Sri Wikreme Rajah Sinha, by the
habitual violation of the chief and most sacred duties of a
sovereign, baa forfeited all claims to tha& title, or the po,rel'll
annexed to the same, and is declared fallen and deposed from
M2
D1g1tized by Google
274 APPENDIX IL
the office of king ; his family and relatives, whether ln the

ascending, deacendlng, or collateral line, and whether by
affinity or blood, are alao for ever exclnded from the throne;
and all claim and tltle of the Ma1abar race to the dominion of
the Kaadyan provinces is abolished and extingnished.
"Sd. That all male penona beblg, or pretending to be,
relations of the late ~ah Sri Wikreme ~ah Sinha, either
by affinity or blood, and whether in. the ucendlng, descend-
ing, or collateral line, are hereby declared enemies to the
govemment of the Kandyan provinces, and excluded and pro-
hibited from entering thoee provinces, on IID1 pretence what-
eYer, witbont a. written permileion. for that purpoee, by tbe
anthority of the British goYel'lllllen.t, under the pains and
penalties of martial law, which is hereby declared to be ln
force fur that purpoee ; and all male peral)DB of the Mllabar
cute, now expelled from the said pro.tnoea, are,.uncJer the
same penalties, prohibitied ftom retamjng, aoept with tbe
permiuion. before mentioned;.
"4th. The dominion of the Kandyan pro'fiaoes la vened
in the sovereign of the British empire, and to be ex.-
through the Governors or Lieutenaot-Goftrnora of Ceylon for
the time being; and their accredited agents, saving to the
Adikars, Dluavee,.MohoJ.tal.es, Coraals, Vldaana, and.all other
chief and snbordlnate native head men, lawtally appointed by
anthority of the British goYel'Dlllellt, the rights, pririlepe,
and powers of their respeotiveollcea; and to all cluaes of the
people the safety of their peraons and property, with thai[' civil
rights and immnnlties, aecording to the,J&wa;.iDati&lltiona; and
customs eata.blished and.in foroe amongst them.
" 6th. The religion of Boodhoo, profeaaed by the chiefs
and inhabitants of tbeee provinces, is declared in.violable; aad
its rights, ministem, uad places of worship, are to be maia-
tained and protected.
" 6th. Every specie& of bodily torture, and. all. mutilation
of lhnb,.:Qlemher, or organ, are prohibited and abolished.
"7th. No seateiaoe of death can be carriecl:into eucution
againai IDT inhabiwit, ucept by the. written warrantof the
j
CONVENTION.
. 275
British Governor or Lieutenant-Governor for the time being,
a
founded on report of the ease made to him through the
aocredited agent ot agenta of the government resident in the
interior, in whose presence aH 1i'ials for capital off'ences are to
take place.
" 8th. Subject to these conditions, the administration of
civil aad criminal justice and police, over the Kandyan inha-
bi...t.a of the-said provinces, is to be exercised aeoording to
estabUshed furma, and by the ordinary authorities I saving
always the inherent right of govermnent to redreas griev-
andea and reft:mn.abuses, in all instances whatever, particnl&r
or general, where such fnt.erpoeit.ion shall become n008888l'Y,
"9th. Over 1111 other peraou, dvil or. military, residing in
or resorting to these provinces, not being Kandyans, civil and
crimiDal juatice, together with police, shall,until the pleasure
of his Majesty's. government: in England may be othenvi8e
declared, be admiBl8tered in the manner following :-
" FirBt, All pel'BOllfl; not being commiaaioned or non-QOmmis-
81.oned military officers, 'soldiers, or followers of the army,
1181ltilly held liable to Diilitary discipline; shall be subject to the
magistracy of the aooredit.ed- agent or agents of the. British
government; in all caeeli except charges of mur.der, which
shall be tried by special oommissions, t.o be iseued from time
to time by the governor for that purpose. Provided always,
as t.o such charges of murder wherein any British subject may
be defendant, who might be tried for the same by the laws of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in foree
for the trial of offences committed by British subjects in foreign
pans, no such British subject shall be tried on any charge of
murder, alleged to have been perpetrated in the Kandyan
provinces, otherwise than by virtue of such laws of the United
.Kingdom.
"Second, Commissionedornon-commisBionedmllitary officers,
soldiers, or followers of the army, usually held amenable to
military discipline, shall, in all civil and criminal cases, wherein
they may be defendants, be liable to the laws, regulations,
and customs ~ war, reserving t.o the governor and eommander-
!76 APPENDIX IL
in-chief, in all cues talling under thia ninth article, u unli:

mited right of review over every prooeecling, civil or Diilitary,
had by virtue thereof, and reeerving also fall power to make
s11ch particular proviaiona, cooformably to the general spirit.of
the said article, as may be found necesaary to carry its prin-
ciple Into foll effect. .
" 10th. Provided always, that the 91J81'&Uon of the several
preceding claWJeS shall not be contravened by the provisions
of any temporary or partial proclamation published during
the advance of the army ; which provisions; In so far as in-
compatible with tile said preceding articles, are hereby repealed.
" 11th. The royal dues and reven11es of the Kandyan pro-
vinces are to be managed and collected for hia Majesty's use,
and the support of. the provincial establiahment, aooordlng to
lawful cuat.om, and under the direction and auperintendence of
the.accredited agent or agents of the British government.
"12th. Bia Excellency the Goveraor will ad91)t provision-
ally, and recommend to the confirmation of hia Royal High-
ness the Prince Regent, in the name and on behalf of his
:Majesty, such dispoeitiona In favour of the trade of these pro-
vinces, as may facilitate the export .of their prodaets, and
improve the returns, whether In money, or In salt, cloths, or
other commodities, useful and desirable to the Inhabitants of
the Kandyan country.
" God save the King I
" By hia Excellency's command,

. "J..uma SUTBEBLAND, .
"Dep. Secretary." .
.
JUPPITA.POLA.. 277
No. X.
KAPPITAPOLA ASD JLU>UGALLA..
Te.rt, p. 199.
Monarawila, or, as he was commonly called, Kappitapola,

was made disaave of the province of Uwa, when the English
took poasession of the Kandyan provinces in 1816, and COD
tiaued t.o fill that office until he joined the insvgents in 1817.
He was allied t.o some of the most wealthy and influential
families In the Kandyan country, being the son of a sister of
Eheylapola, with whom he used t.o reside when he came t.o
Kandy. While he was Ebeylapola's guest, the writer occa-
sionally attended him profeaslonally. Kappit&pola's manners
were much more frank and aff'able, in the company of Euro-
peans, than those of any of the other Kandyan chiefis. He
conducted himself in company with a remarkable degree of
decorum and propriety.
Although Kappitapola was not esteemed a man of much
talent, he was generally considered by the English as the
recognised leader of the insurrection. Hls acceptance of the
appointment of first adikar t.o the pretender, renders it pro-
bable that he considered himself as prime mover in the resist-
ance which was made t.o the British anthority.
He was brought.before a court-martial on the 18th Novem-
ber 1818, and tried for levying wu-, with the view of sub-
verting his Majesty's government, lawfully established, and
was condemned t.o death. At his request, the writer visited
him several times in gaol, after he had been convicted, and
Kappitapola wu the only chief of consequence who submitted

early to 't'IICcination himee~ and had all hia children nccinate<l ;
~hereby llhowiug an unuul degree of coufldenco in the English.
Digitized by Google
278 APPE~DIX X.
was aware that he had been sentenced to saft'er death.

He usaally conducted himself with much self-posaession.
~ one ooeasion, he spread out the cloth which was round
his loins, and which waa coarse and not clean, and, smiling,
said, " Yon know this is not the way I used to dress." He
waa not unwilliDg to oonftl'88 on the subject of the insur-
rection ; and, although he sometimes admitted that he was
concerned in many of the hostile attacks made upon our
troops, he wished to explain away, or to weaken at least, the
force of any inference which tended to his ineulpation. In
two respects he admitted that he wu culpable : ftm, in having
aecept.ed the appointment of adlkar from the "false king, d or
preten.cier; and, secondly, for not submitting to government
when a:proelama&lon was issued off'ering pardon to insurgents
who ahonld deliver up their arms before the 20th September.
He repeat.edly !Wd earneatly expressed a desire that the sen-
tence of death might be commuted to banishment;; and
entrea&ed the writer to request Mr Sawers to use his hifluenee
with Sir Robert Bro'WIU'lgg, for the purpose' of obtaiBing a
commutation of his sentence. He remarked, that although
life wu full of trouble, exl.etenee was still desirable. In the
coll1'88 of conversation, he frequently observed, that he was
an unfortunate man ; and was unwilling to admit that his nn-
bappyeondition was an obvious consequence of the policy be
bad adopt.ed, and the ill snooess which attended i$. Being a
zealo111 Boodhlst; he considered his present misfortune was
the 1'8ult of dellnqnenclea committed during a former state of
existenee,-a belief which repudiates responsibility for off'ences
committed in this life.
Early on the morning of the 26th November, Kappitapola
and Madngalla were, in compliance lrith their own request,
taken to the Dalada Malegawa,, or temple or the sacred relic.
At the reqnest or Kappitapola, and. by permission. of his
Excellency Sir Robert Brownrigg, Mr Sawera met him at the
temple. Kneeling before the priest, upon the threshold of the
sanctuary, the repository of the sacred relic, the chief detailed
the principal meritoriona actions of his life,~ as the
EXECUTION OF IUPPITAPOLA. !79
benefits he had conferred on prieeta, t.ogether with the gifts he

had bestowed on temples, and other acts CJf piety. He then
pronounced the Proptannawah, or lMt wish; npely, that, at
hisnen bltth, he might be bom on the mountains of Himmalaya,
and finally obtain N eerwannah, a state of partial anuihiladon.
Having concluded his devotions, he was addfflll!ed by the
priest, who, in an Impressive tone and manner, acknowledged
that his merit.a were great, and concluded his address by pro-
nouncing a benedictien, the last words of which were as fol-
lows :- " As 11Ure as a stone thrown up into the air returns to
the earth, so certain w\11 you, in consideration of your religious
merit.a, be present at the next incarnation of Boodhoo, and
receive your reward. 11 The scene between the chief and the
priest was most solemn and impressive. The chief, who had
continued kneeling, rose, and turning round to Mr Sawers,
addressed him in the following words :-" I give you a share
of the merit or my last religious otrerlng; 11-and, forthwith
unwindfng his upper cloth from his walst, he preeented it to
the temple, jocularly observing, that although it was both foul
and ragged, "the merit of the otrering would not on those
aeeounts be diminished, it being all he had to give. 11 He then
re11uested Mr Sawers to aooompany him to the place of execu-
tion, which was kindly and respeetfully declined.
l\fadugalla's devotions were conducted in a almilar manner;
but although he had evinced great bravery in the fteld, he lost
self-poeseasion on this occasion. . When the priest had given
him his benediction, he sprang forward, and l'1l8hed into the
sanctuary, where he loudly craved mercy for the sake of the
relic. He was instantly dragged from behind the dagobah by
Lieutenant Mackenzie, the fort adjutant, with the auiatance
of some. of the guard. Kappitapola, who conducted himself
with great finnness and self-possession, and who wu fJl"IUly
emprised at the pnsJDanimJty of his fellow-prisoner; in the
, most dispassionate manner observed, that Madagall& aet.ed
like a fool. He then, in a firm and eolleetied manner, shook
hands witb Mr Sawers, and bade him farewell. . ,
The priaoDera were then taken to the place of GeCUQon,
-----------------------~- -
280 APPENDIX X.
whicb was near to the Bogambarawa Wik, about a mile dis-

uat from the temple. Here they requested to be provided
W'ith ,rater for the purpoee of ablation, which wu brought to
them. Kappitapola then begged to be allowed a abort time to
perform the ceremonies of his religion. This request being
grant.eel, both the prisoners W'Uhed their hands and face.
Kappitapola then tied up his hair in a knot on the top of his
head, !Did aat down on the ground, beside aamall bash, grasp-
iug it 'at the aame time W'ith his toes. From the folds of the
cloth which encircled his loins, he took .a amall &uuaa potta,
(prayer-book,) and, after reciting some prayers or verses, he
gave the book to a native official who was present, requesting
him to deliver it to Mr Sawers as a token of the gratitude he
felt for his friendship and kindness, while they were officially
connected at Badnlla,-Mr Sawers as agent of government,
and Kappitapola as di88ave of Uwa.
The chief continued to repeat some Pali Yerses ; and,
while he was so employed, the executioner struck him on the
tu of the neck W'itb a sharp sword. At that moment he
breathed out the word Araliaan, one of the names of Boodhoo.
A second stroke deprived him of life, and he fell to the groun4
a corpse. His head being separated from his body, it was,
according to K.andyan custom, placed on his breast.
Madugalla continued to evince great want of firmness ;
and being unable to tie up his hair, that operation was per-
formed by the Hearigba Kangaan, the chief public executioner.
The perturbed state of his mind was evinced by the convulsive
action of the muscl~ of his face. He earnestly begged to be
dispatched by means of one blow, and then &ally pronounced
the word Aralaaan. In comequenee of his not having sufficient
resolution to bend his head forwards, it was held by one of
t!ie executioners. After the first blow of the sword he fell
back.wards ; bat he was not deprived of life until he received
a second stroke.
Kappitapola' eraninm was presented by the writer to the
mll&ellm of the Phrenological Society of EdinbUJ'gh.
In some respects, the fate of Kappitapola resem~led that
EXECUTION OF KAPPITAPOLA. 281
of Sir William Wallace, the beloved champion of. Scotland,-an

outline of wh088 exertions and sufferings for the independence
of his countrymay be here stated. Towards the end of the
18th century, Edward L, King of England, obtained posses-
sion of nearly all the places of strength in Scotland, and
assumed to himself the dominion of the kingdom, u a right'
which belonged to him. A general hatred of the English yoke
waa 10011 uwrifelted by the people, who were willing enough
to exchange a disgraceful submission for an honourable though
desperate warfare. The Scots, adopting the Kandyan inode
of warfare, assembled in troops and companies, and betook
themselves to the woods, mountains, and morasses, prepared
for a general insurrection against the English power. Sir
William Wallace, who for a long time carried on a guerilla war
with the English, became the recognised leader of the insur-
rection, and made a noble resistance to the whole force which
Edward employed in Scotland. .Bis wife fell into the hands
of his enemies, and wu barbarously executed by order of the
English Sheriff of Lanark. . Wallace was at last betrayed by
some of his countrymen, and delivered up to the English. Be
was forthwith conveyed to London, where he was tried at
Westminster. The arraignment charged him with high
treason, in respect that he had stormed and taken towns and
castles, and shed much blood. "Traitor," said Wallace, "was
I never !" The rest of the charges he confessed. He was
found guilty and condemned to death. After being dragged to
the usual place of execution, at the tails of horses, he was
there hanged on a high gallows, on the 28d of August 1306 ;
after which, his bowels having been taken out while he yet
breathed, and burned before his face, his head was struck off,
and his body hacked into quarters. Bis right arm was set
up at Newcastle,-his left at Berwick.
D1g1tized by Google
NOTES AND ADDITIONS.
NOTES AND ADDITIONS.
NOTB I., p. 6.
The plough is sometimes drawn by oxen, but, in aome parts

of the island, the eultiTation of rice-fields is chiefly eft'eeted by
fir11t wming over tbe soil with a ~ . then flooding the
ground wich water, and, subsequently, yoking 'three or four
pairs of buff'aloes, and driving them over a field until the soil
is 1'.tlducocJ.. t.o pluhy mud. This being accomplished, the sur-
face of the soll.ls.rendeied smooth by means of a boaid set in
a frame, which is drawn over the field. The aeed, which is
invariably in a state of germination by previou aspersion
with water, 1s then sown.
NOT& II., p. M .

Power of 1M King.-" A king called t.o the throne by the
voice of the people; always hu been, always will be, elected
for the expJ'888 purpose o'f inquiring minutely int.o what is
lawful and what is unlawful; of causing what is unlawful t.o
be set aside, and what Is lawful t.o be carried int.o eff'ect; ot
acquitting the innocent, and of inflicting on the guilty punish-
ments proportioned t.o their erimea."-(Annoer reapt;ding the
Law, and Otutom, oflM Kandyaa Cmmtry, Bertolacci, p. 461.)
In practice, ii was clearly under11t.ood that the king should be
guided by the ancient laws and U8ag88 of the kingdom ; and
he wu held t.o be a good or a bad king, In proportion as he
conformed t.o the said lawa and cuat.oms, but there was~
power which was calculated to control. him. Like other half
Dtg,ti~d by Google
286 NOTES AND ADDIT10!f8,
clviliaed communitlell, t.be Kandyana were much more COil

cemed ill the administration of I.heir long-eetabliahed C1l8t.olM
thau ill the framing of Ian. Conspiraciee, ia Kalulr, lam,
always beea aolel7 directed agalDa die 8'l, ot Ille reigning
aovereign, and never apillll GilclDg inatitutio11&
NOTa: m., p. s1.
The tuea at da&lea weie all fixed 1114 dela'miDecl. ea the

land,s, h&mg n,fereaoe 1lo the ealt.e ol 6.e peraoaa holding
sald landl. The people.were wry aieaacioa of dleir riglats
In reprd 1D tle uoout of u.sa&lon. Under die moat cleapotic
and arbiavy of the kiDp tlley woald not lllbmit qaiatl7 io
an iacnue of eWaer met or penonal aerrioe.
NOTB IV., p. 88.
For settling petty dlfl'erences, recourse was often bad to the

Gam Sal,g-& court composed of the elders of a village, which
decided c&USe8 without expenae. The depoee<t king greatly
, approved of these come, ba.t they 1n1re diacollraged bythe
chiefs, whoee emol111Denta were redaeed by them. When a
cauae wu brought before a ebiet'e eourt, both plaintiff' and
defendant were obliged w give him a 6oolat aooroloo; in other
words, to fee or bn'be the judge.
" :e.tore the nature of property is defined by positive ata,.
tutee, or aay rales preeerlbed concemlng the mode of acquiring
or conveying it, there is gradually formed, in every state, a
body of customary or common law, by which judicial proceed-
illp are dlrec&ed, and every decision conformable to it is aub-
mittecl to with reverence, u the reea1t of the accumulated.
wisdom and experience of ages."-(~ ctntCtJnting
Irtdia, by Dr Roberuon.)
Digitized by Goog Ie I
-I
---.
NOTES A.ND ADDITIONS, 281
NOT& v., p. 212.
To banish alleged or auspecled traitors WU obviously ait

arbitrary and illegal measure. The late Lord Durham, when
he was Governor of Canada; made an ordinance, enacting that
it should be lawful to transport certain persons from the pro-
vince; md then, in porsuanee of that law, issued a proclama
tion, ordering their transportation. The Home Government
denied the validity of the ordinance, and released the person,
affected by it.
THE ElfD.
TJU: JWDIB1lll011 PanrrDfG COKPUT,

1:1, 8oGUI St DaYl4 8tnJet.
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Ceylon, A General Description of The Island and Its Inhabitants, With An Historical Sketch of The Conquest of The Colony by The English

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Ceylon, A General Description of The Island and Its Inhabitants, With An Historical Sketch of The Conquest of The Colony by The English

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CEYLON:

A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND

CONQUEST OF THE COLONY BY THE ENGLISH.

BY HENRY MARSHALL, F.R.S.E.,

Author ol Noteo on the Kedlcal Topography of the Interior of Ceylon," .to~

,1 7J. Digitized by Google

IN the compilation of the following pages, the writer

December 1814; and, from 1816 till 1821, was the

25, ALv.a. Srusr, }

GIL"iER.. DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND, A.."iD AN ACCOUNT OF

HISTORICAL SUTCH, ETC,

1 !>06. Ceylon discovered by the Portuguese, 4a

176:t. Hostilities between the Kandyans and the Dntch, 60

1797. Government attempts to tax &nit-trees; an insurrec-

1800. 12th March, General M.acdowal proceecb on an em-

1803. Monality among the European troops employed in

1814. Ten cloth-mereban&s mutilated by order of the king.

J 818. Monality oC the European &roopl ; relec&iou o

I. Visit to Adam's Peak, (April 18191) 231

ll. Articles of ConveDtion entered into between hie lligh.

Captain Pierce, of the 19th Regiment, and Assistant-

VII. Proclamation by his Excellency Lieutenant-General

VIII. Official declaration of the settlement of the Kaudyan

NOTES AND ADDITIONS, 285

GENERAL DUOBU'TION OJI' 'fflE ISJ.AND1 AND AN ACOOt.'NT OF

Situation, Extent, Playrieal ~ - The lsLAND OF

Vide Tire Ceyl,en Gazetteer.-The Secretary of State for the

,The rising and setting of the sun varies little more

BBlQB'fl 01' IOIOI 01' ms PBmCJPJ.J. KOUBTAIIJS, &,c, DI C&Yr.o.

L. by lev,lling; A by Geoduic operationa.

The prevailing rocks are granite and gneiss, 4uartz,

"' Vidil Appendix J.

isabout 8H 0 ; the annual range being Crom 72 to 95.

tain more than three per cent. ofvegetable matter. Qnart-

requires low or .at leaat flat grounds, and an abundant

water ,rhich deteends from the tcips of hills, they cut

when it was in a great measure deemed commQn pro-

maritime proTinces. The Dutch enforced the thraldom

was collected in the forests and jungles ill the territory

mon plantations. The cultivation of cinnamon, more

the Antelope, which are not found in Ceylon, the

"This ghastly watchman," says Wilson, "has fre-

any harm. Only this observation the inhabitants of the

animals bite cattle ; and it is observed. where leeches

Singe-lwllM, poople of lion' blood.

necelS&l'y for subsistence, they have. hitherto continued ,

the Singa.lese, .. are kind, pitifol, helpfol, honest, and

the Highland from the Lowland Siogaleae, it is pre-

considered hostile, and that professions of amity from

for example, the execution of nine gentlemen, for trea.

or much annoyed by it. The female domestics are

Tall pot&, literally Book-leaf.

Ceylonese, eTen of the poorest class, who cannot read and

villages are sometimes surrounded by a deep ditch, as a

by which he stipulated to furnish his allies with250,000

Years. !be. Amount.

The average annual quantity imported being 345,092

The i'evenue of the island for 1831 amounted to

Areca-11uu, ................. , ................ , , .. L27,orr

Thus it appears that 91 per cent. of the value of the

In 1831, the exports subject to duty bad, on an ave

.Military ~/e11ee.-In regard to the military defence

leaden bullets, they frequently use a portion of a rod of

rule, the Kandyans frequently changed their masters,

own will and pleaaure-hia own head being his onl.\

was preferred to a native or Singalese dynasty. The king-,